The rules and spirit of legal separation in Marietta
Situations may arise prior to the actual filing of a divorce, such as financial support, but for one reason or another the parties involved are not ready to file.
A legal separation in Marietta or elsewhere in Georgia, accomplishes at least two things:
- It provides a temporary middle ground. Divorce, separation and reconciliation are major life events requiring careful consideration. A legal separation provides a framework that gives couples the space and time to discuss and settle issues before moving on to divorce.
- It can streamline the development of a final legal divorce document, possibly saving time and money when the couple reaches that juncture.
A Georgia or Marietta separation agreement will cover the important issues, including the following:
- Child custody
- Child support
- Property division
- Debt division
- Spousal support
- Child Custody
- Visitation
- Continuation of health insurance
Divorce, separation and child custody issues can be traumatic in any community. It is important for both parties to enter into a separation agreement with caution, since such an agreement does not release either party from certain obligations of marriage. For example, neither party can legally remarry until the divorce is final. Also, your activities and behaviors during a separation might create vulnerabilities in a final divorce proceeding.
The most obvious example is infidelity. If you develop a sexual relationship with someone else during the separation, but prior to the divorce, which could affect what happens to your and your children. If you begin drinking heavily or using illegal drugs, that could be brought into the divorce proceedings, get into the court record, and also be used as leverage against you.
A separation might also allow the couple to eventually reconcile. It gives them time to see what life may be like if they were divorced. For whatever reasons, be it emotional, financial, or something else, the marriage may once again become the attractive option.
The law office of Daryl L. Kidd, P.C., handles Marietta, Cobb County, and metro-Atlanta divorce and separation cases in Georgia, including prenuptial agreements, and other matters of matrimonial or family law. The firm takes a strategic approach to divorce and separations, attempting to minimize the trauma and disruption that often happens with separation or full dissolution of marriage. Daryl Kidd and his support staff have nearly three decades each of experience in finding optimal settlement terms, both in separation and divorce agreements.
If you are seeking a separation or divorce in Marietta, Cobb County, or metro-Atlanta, contact Daryl L. Kidd, P.C., to learn how you can best manage this emotionally and financially challenging time in the most reasonable and strategic way possible.
