Marital separation: Difference between revisions

A temporary separation may also occur to enhance the marriage as a tool to stay together.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/contemplating-divorce/201004/can-marital-separation-make-your-marriage-better|title=Can a Marital Separation Make Your Marriage Better?|author=Gadoua, Susan Pease|work=[[Psychology Today]]|date=25 April 2010}}</ref> Some experts regard a six-month separation as good amount of time for a temporary separation, since it is long enough to set up a second household and gain perspective, but not long enough to seem permanent.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424053111904140604576496240815891366|title=To Save a Marriage, Split Up?|author=Bernstein, Elizabeth|date=9 August 2011|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]}}</ref>

A separation may be unilaterally decided by one of the spouses moving away. Many U.S. state statutes, for example Virginia's, specify that being separated for a given period of time can be grounds for divorce.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.scheidung-siegen.de/fachanwalt-scheidung-siegen/dokumentation-der-trennung_Anwalt_siegen/index.html|title=Does the separation need to be documented?|last=|first=|date=|language=de|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=2017-08-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://leg1law.statelis.vavirginia.usgov/cgi-binvacode/legp504.exe?000+cod+20-91/|title=§ 20-91. Grounds for divorce from bond of matrimony; contents of decree.|publisher=[[Code of Virginia]]}}</ref>