When a couple no longer wants to be married and live together, they may get a divorce or they may become legally separated. Unlike many states, Illinois does still recognize legal separations and there are many reasons a couple may decide to get one. However, when a couple does obtain a legal separation, it sometimes leads to many questions. One of these is whether they are still eligible to get a divorce once they have legally separated. In short, being legally separated does not prevent a couple from officially ending their marriage in divorce in the future.
Reasons for Legal Separation
There are many reasons a couple may choose to opt for a legal separation instead of divorce. One of these is for religious purposes. Many religions forbid divorce and so, a couple may choose to get a legal separation that allows them to act and live as a divorced couple without officially ending the marriage. In this instance, it is unlikely that a couple would get a divorce in the future unless they left their religion or went against it.
In other cases, a couple may choose a legal separation rather than a divorce for health reasons. For example, one spouse may become very ill and require extensive medical treatment. On their own, they may not be able to afford that treatment on their own. However, if they are listed on their spouse’s health insurance, the couple may choose to obtain a legal separation rather than a divorce. Once the spouse that was ill recovers and does not require the costly medical treatment, the couple may then choose to get a divorce.
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