Legal separation or sometimes called "separate maintenance," "divorce a mensa et thoro," or "divorce from bed-and-board", is a possible step towards divorce under the laws of many countries. A couple is legally separated only if the couple has successfully petitioned a court to recognize their separation; simply living apart does not constitute separation for these purposes.
Legal separation does not automatically lead to divorce. The couple may reconcile, in which case they need do nothing in order to remain married. If they do not reconcile, and wish to divorce after the statutory time period, they must file for divorce explicitly. Check out the Austin divorce lawyer about this.
Divorce means the ending of a marriage before the death of either spouse. In some countries and jurisdictions, a divorce must be certified by a court of law, because a legal action is needed to dissolve the preceding legal act of marriage.
Often, however, the spouses disagree about the terms of the divorce, which can lead to stressful and expensive litigation. But other than divorces, there are also other legal separations that are less stressful and expensive. Check out the Austin divorce lawyer regarding these separation issues.
Less adversarial approaches to divorce settlements have recently emerged, such as mediation and collaborative divorce, which negotiate mutually acceptable resolution to conflicts. Check out the Austin divorce lawyer about this.
In a collaborative divorce, the parties negotiate an agreed resolution with the assistance of attorneys who are trained in the collaborative divorce process and in mediation, and often with the assistance of a neutral financial specialist and/or divorce coach.
In a divorce mediation session, a mediator facilitates the discussion between the husband and wife by assisting with communication and providing information and suggestions to help resolve differences.
There is a parallel between collaborative law and mediation, in that both are facilitative processes. However, in collaborative law, the parties are fully informed about the law and the consequences of various options, and their advocates facilitate the negotiations. In mediation, the mediator is a neutral third party who doesn't represent or advise either side. To find out more about collaborative divorces, mediation, and divorces then visit the Austin divorce lawyer for more information.