Legal Separation in Douglas County

Advantages of Legally Separating in West Georgia

Many of the people who come to us for help at Howard Law Group are fully ready to take the plunge by moving forward with divorce. They feel that they have exhausted all alternatives and have decided that divorce is now their only option. For others, however, legal separation is a more appropriate course of action.

One of the most common reasons that a couple will choose to legally separate is that they are still determined to salvage the marriage and simply want some time living apart from one another in order to work on the relationship free from the pressure of living in close quarters.

Another common reason for pursuing a legal separation is the fact that it can bring about the conditions of divorce without actually going all the way, since many couples who no longer want to live together yet refuse to divorce based on deeply held religious convictions. For others, the motivation is to stay married in order to preserve one spouse's eligibility for health insurance coverage or other benefits.

This is another major advantage of legally separating prior to divorce: it gives you the opportunity to test out the terms of the divorce before committing to the final action, at which point you would have to petition for a formal modification in order to make any changes to the agreements.

Douglas County Legal Separation Lawyer

Whatever the reason that you are interested in legal separation, you can come to Howard Law Group for help from a Dallas, GA divorce attorney from our team. We can meet with you for a free case evaluation to discuss your unique situation and to determine whether this is the best approach for you and your spouse, and we will be prepared to take immediate action on your case.

We can assist you with preparing the separation agreement, working with you to ensure that the arrangements for child custody and visitation, property division, and spousal support will work for you, as well as bringing your case to court to obtain official orders. At the end of the process, you and your spouse will be, for all intents and purposes, divorced, except for the fact that you will still be legally married and will not be able to remarry.

Actions for Separate Maintenance in Douglas County

The action of legal separation is provided for under Georgia Code § 19-6-10 (2010), a statute which makes it possible to file for orders of separate maintenance. The orders will address all the same issues which would require attention during a divorce, including the custody and care of the children, the distribution of shared assets and debts, and the payment of alimony. In fact, if you and your spouse eventually decide to move forward with a divorce, you will most likely be able to convert the orders for separate maintenance into the terms of a divorce decree.

Learn more about legal separation and take the first step in your case. Contact us now!