What is a Legal Separation?

In Wisconsin, married spouses have the ability to legal separate from each other. The process is nearly the same as the process for obtaining a divorce. See earlier posts regarding the divorce process. The main difference is that at the end of the process couples are still married. Both husband and wife have to agree to be legally separated. If one parties decides he or she would rather be divorced before the legal separation is granted, the action is changed from a legal separation to a divorce. The seemingly good part about a legal separation is that after one year of being legally separated, a spouse can send in a standard form stating that he or she wants a divorce and neither party has to return to Court for the divorce to be granted.

If you would like more information about legal separation, contact an attorney. As always, this and any blog posting are no substitute for legal advice.