legal separation
Pre-divorce living arrangement
Legal separation is a court-approved arrangement where a married couple lives apart while remaining legally married.
Unlike divorce, the marriage isn't dissolved—neither spouse can remarry.
The arrangement typically addresses division of assets, child custody, and support obligations.
Some couples pursue legal separation for religious reasons, to maintain insurance benefits, or as a trial period before deciding on divorce: They've been in a legal separation for two years.
Court-ordered post-divorce payments
- spousal supportPayments to ex-partner
- child supportMandated parental financial contribution
- property divisionDistributing jointly owned assets
- marital assetsWealth owned by spouses
financial disclosure · bank accounts · retirement funds · tax implications · insurance · living expenses
Legal end of matrimony
- annulmentDeclared void from start
- dissolutionBreaking up completely
- filingStoring documents systematically
- petitionFormal written appeal
decree · finalization · waiting period · grounds · no-fault · irreconcilable differences · marital breakdown · documentation
Legal dispute process
- hearingPerceiving sound waves
- filingStoring documents systematically
- petitionFormal written appeal
- jurisdictionLegal authority's scope
docket · ruling · decree · motion · order · appearance · testimony · proceedings
Resolved dispute or colony
- negotiationDiscussion seeking mutual accord
- mediationIntervention to resolve conflict
- termsConditions of an agreement
- stipulationsSpecified requirements or conditions
notarized · contract · provisions · clauses · modifications · enforcement · compliance · drafting
Legal parental responsibility allocation
- visitation rightsNoncustodial parent's scheduled contact
- parenting planDocument dividing child responsibilities
- co-parentingJoint child-rearing by separated adults
- joint custodyDivided parental legal responsibility
sole custody · physical custody · visitation schedule · child welfare · best interests · parental rights · custody evaluation · modification
Lawyer for household disputes
- lawyerLicensed legal representative
- mediatorNeutral conflict resolver
- judgeOne who decides
- arbitratorOne who resolves disputes
paralegal · court clerk · financial advisor · therapist · counselor · notary · process server
alimony
Court-ordered post-divorce payments
- spousal supportPayments to ex-partner
- child supportMandated parental financial contribution
- property divisionDistributing jointly owned assets
marital assets · financial disclosure · bank accounts · retirement funds · tax implications · insurance · living expenses
divorce
Legal end of matrimony
- annulmentDeclared void from start
- dissolutionBreaking up completely
- filingStoring documents systematically
petition · decree · finalization · waiting period · grounds · no-fault · irreconcilable differences · marital breakdown · documentation · paperwork
litigation
Legal dispute process
jurisdiction · docket · ruling · decree · motion · order · appearance · testimony · proceedings · family court
settlement
Resolved dispute or colony
- negotiationDiscussion seeking mutual accord
- mediationIntervention to resolve conflict
- termsConditions of an agreement
stipulations · notarized · contract · provisions · clauses · modifications · enforcement · compliance · drafting · review
child custody
Legal parental responsibility allocation
- visitation rightsNoncustodial parent's scheduled contact
- parenting planDocument dividing child responsibilities
- co-parentingJoint child-rearing by separated adults
joint custody · sole custody · physical custody · visitation schedule · child welfare · best interests · parental rights · custody evaluation · modification
family law attorney
Lawyer for household disputes
arbitrator · paralegal · court clerk · financial advisor · therapist · counselor · notary · process server
- breakupsbreakup, breaking up, dumped, dumping, it's over
- divorcedivorce court, divorce decree, divorce papers, divorce filing, divorce lawyer
- family lawchild custody, child support, alimony, family court, divorce petitions
- family courtchild custody, child support, divorce proceedings, custody disputes, family mediation
- marriage lawmarriage contract, divorce decree, marriage certificate, matrimony, divorce petition
- marital financemarital assets, community property, property division, asset division, divorce settlement
legal separationmarriage
Formal union between partners
wedlock · marital union · reconciliation · matrimony · divorce
legal separationreconciliation
Restoration of friendly relations
marriage · wedding · reunion · getting back together · getting married
legal, illegal, separation, legally, legality, illegality, legalese, legalism, legalistic