The end of a marriage can come quickly or can take a long time depending on the couple and their specific situation. One question that many people are often wondering is the difference between legal separation and divorce. To begin, these are both legal arrangements that require working with your spouse and attorney in filing the appropriate paperwork to put the arrangement in effect. Working with an experienced Ohio family law attorney can help ensure that you are picking the right arrangement for your situation.
So let’s get back to the original question- what is the difference between legal separation and divorce in Ohio? Here’s a quick look…
- Legal Separation: Legally speaking, you are still married if you are legally separated. You may want to keep your marriage intact for a variety of reasons, including: you are just not ready to file for divorce, health insurance coverage, Ohio residency requirements (six months) or religious reasons. In filing for legal separation, you will need to list a reason in much the same way you will need to list one for divorce and the court will issue an order that covers the many important areas that impact your marriage, such as child custody and support. In many instances, your legal separation order will become the basis for your divorce order if you and/or your former partner decide to take it a step further.
- Divorce: As you probably know by now, divorce is legally ending your marriage; and the individual filing for an Ohio divorce will need to allege one of ten grounds for seeking a divorce. Of course, before the court will dissolve your marriage, they will need to go over a potentially long list of issues and individuals that will be impacted by this major change in your relationship status. Most immediately, the courts concerns will turn to whether there are children involved.
As logic would have it, if you think you have a complicated marriage then you will probably have a fair number of issues to sort thru in your legal separation or divorce. On the other hand, if you were married for a relatively short amount of time with no kids and no shared property, filing for either arrangement will be pretty quick and straightforward. Ultimately, you need to pick the best arrangement that works for you and your family. Working with an experienced Ohio divorce attorney can help answer your questions and guide you throughout this often emotional process.
At Dawes Legal, we are here to help. Attorney Shannon Dawes is a compassionate advocate that will fight to get you the results you want and keep you informed throughout the entire process. My goal is to help you resolve your legal issue as quickly as possible and let you begin living your life again. If you are contemplating divorce or legal separation in Ohio, pick up the phone and give me a call today at (614) 733-9999. I look forward to hearing from you.