On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Legal Separation on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.
While there is no separation requirement for divorce in Missouri, some couples still chose to enter into separation agreements. These agreements can address everything from child custody to property division and can have serious implications if there is a divorce filing later on down the road.
Of course though, some couples in Missouri also decide to separate with no agreements in place. Rather, each spouse just takes the time to think about the marriage and decide what it is each want out of the relationship. In some cases, this time to think leads to couples getting back together, while in other cases it does lead to divorce.
Recently, it was announced that famed-couple Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas have separated. At this point, Douglas is adamant that there is nothing wrong and it is just a temporary separation.
At this point, while the reason behind the couple’s separation has not been announced, their separation does come after Zeta-Jones’ 2011 announcement that she has bipolar disorder and Douglas’ 2010 battle with throat cancer. Both of these conditions no doubt could have caused some stress in their marriage.
Overall though, there is much for the average Missouri man to learn from this separation, including the fact that separation can be an interim between a marriage and a divorce. And while a separation does not guarantee there will be a divorce, many do take this time to reevaluate their marriage and start thinking about aspects of family law, such as child custody, alimony and property division.
Source: ABC News, “Michael Douglas: ‘My Wife and I Are Fine’,” Luchina Fisher, Sept. 3, 2013
