Legal Separation
Ohio law provides its residents with three options to end or change a couple’s marital relationship: legal separation, divorce and dissolution of marriage. If you are in need of legal help regarding a legal separation in the Dayton area, family lawyer Anne Catherine Harvey will help you understand the different kinds of separations and various laws surrounding any legal separation.
A legal separation in Ohio-by definition-is a type of civil lawsuit that does not end the marriage legally but is a way for married couples to put their relationship on hold and most likely work their way toward a divorce. It's a way for a husband and wife experiencing problems within their marriage to separate for a certain period of time without ending their marriage completely. These couples remain married, but live separately for a span of time. Surrounding a legal separation, however, are a number of options and issues including the possibility of marriage counseling, mediation and child custody issues. Harvey will thoroughly discuss these types of issues with you and your spouse and make sure you are knowledgeable and educated about these topics before furthering the process.
There are two types of separation in Ohio: informal and formal. Informal separation, also known as trial separation, is generally what a husband and wife decide their separation will entail. It is a way for couples to live separately and think over the foreseeable possibility of a divorce. Informal separation is also cheaper, less troublesome and compared to a formal separation can cause less emotional pain for most couples. A formal separation, also known as a legal separation, is a more permanent kind of separation which generally costs couples more money and is a more complicated process. If you would like to begin the process of either type of separation, attorney Anne Catherine Harvey will discuss with you a number of options and related issues surrounding a separation in Ohio.