Legal Separation is the preliminary step before the court awards a divorce decree. Usually the husband and wife do not live together. Each state has its own laws regarding the period of separation before divorce.

A couple may also seek Legal Separation if they do not want a divorce to terminate the marriage. Some states do allow this demand, which is based on religious or moral sensibilities of the couple, or they may have other reasons, like saving taxes or protecting assets.

Seeking a Legal Separation decree from the court, like many other lawsuits, is a very expensive process and not everybody can afford the high payments to the lawyers. Then there are other problems including that of time