This article is from the website of Scott David Stewart and relates to the law in Arizona.
Even if you do eventually end up getting a divorce, legal separation is still a potentially effective course of action for protecting your interests. One reason for this is that it will give you and your spouse an opportunity to test out the terms of the divorce before committing to the finality of a dissolution of marriage. Once the judge has issued the decree of divorce, you will have to live with the legally enforceable court orders whether or not you are happy with them, with your only option for changing them being to file a petition for modification.
Given that it is difficult to accurately predict what your life will be like after divorce, especially if you have been married for many years, it may be wise for you to use legal separation as a precursor to divorce. Your separation agreement will include terms for everything from child custody, visitation and child support, to property division and spousal support - all issues that will have to be addressed during the divorce. By legally separating now, you can test out the arrangements and determine what works for you.
More on this topic at http://www.arizonalawgroup.com/Family-Law/Legal-Separation.aspx
Are you thinking about a divorce or legal separation? Do you want to get this difficult time behind you and establish a life plan going forward? Only YOU know what's in your best interests and the best interests of YOUR children!
Using mediation means you can speak to your partner, find out what they want and tell them what you want with an independent mediator who will help the proceedings along without confrontation.
Once you retain a solicitor/lawyer not only does the money start to go ker-ching ker-ching!! (and not in your direction) but the matter becomes adversarial. Your legal representative is there to do a job which may or may not give an outcome in your best interests. So before you take on a solicitor/lawyer check out what mediation can do for you.
When I went to see my solicitor he advised me it was better not to talk to my husband. In my case my husband wouldn't speak to me anyway but if I could have used mediation I would have.
This is a company in the US offering mediation services. Think about this idea - the outcome of mediation could be far better and cheaper than processing everything through the courts. http://www.divorcemediation.us.com/
You can put your postcode in on this UK site (relate) and find the nearest mediator. http://www.relate.org.uk/find-your-nearest-service/index.html
