What Is the difference between divorce, legal separation and annulment?
Divorce The most common way for couples to end their marriage or registered domestic partnership is to get it legally dissolved – generally called getting a divorce. • Once a divorce is final, each person is considered to be single. Each is legally free to marry again or to register a new domestic partnership. • Each person can ask the judge to order child support, spousal or partner support (alimony), child custody and visitation, division of property, domestic violence restraining orders and other orders. • The couple must meet California’s residency requirements to get a divorce in this state. Legal Separation Sometimes, people don’t want to get divorced but want to live apart and make their own decisions about money, property and parenting issues. • Unlike divorce, legal separation does not end a marriage. The parties are not legally free to marry again or to register a new domestic partnership. • Like a divorce, each person may ask the judge to order child support, spousal or part
