Does Georgia Grant Legal Separations?

Some couples may not choose to file for a divorce but decide to live apart and go on with their lives individually instead of together. In Georgia an alternative to getting a divorce is a separate maintenance action.

separate maintenance actions are similar to regular divorces in Georgia as they both allow for certain issues such as alimony, separation of assets, child custody and child support to be resolved. One main difference between divorce and a separate maintenance action is that a couple does not have to live in the state of Georgia for at least six months before filing a separate maintenance action.

If you choose to file for a separate maintenance action you are not legally allowed to remarry until you officially file for divorce and receive a final decree of divorce. If you do decide to file for a divorce after you have already filed for a separate maintenance action the agreement in place between the two parties in the separation can help to minimize the cost and time that a divorce takes.

Filing for a separate maintenance action in Atlanta, Georgia is very similar to the process of filing for a regular divorce. The process can get confusing and complicated and it is in the best interest of the individual to hire and experienced Atlanta family law attorney before attempting to file for a separate maintenance action.