Nothing other than the mandatory, minimum 90 day waiting period to enter final orders may not be applied to the legal separation – and the parties remain married after the Decree of Legal Separation is entered. All of the same final orders must be entered, including a Decree permanently dividing the parties’ debts and assets and, if there are children, a Parenting Plan and an Order of Child Support. Either party may file a simple Motion to convert the Legal Separation to a Dissolution six months after the Decree of Legal Separation is filed. All of the final orders remain the same, but the parties are then divorced.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A LEGAL SEPARATION & A DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE (DIVORCE)?