Legal separation separate maintenance

Legal separation (sometimes "legal separation", "separate maintenance", "divorce mensa et thoro one" or "divorce from bed and board") is a legal process by which a married couple can formalize a separation in fact still being legally married. A legal separation is granted in the form of a court order.
Moreover, in cases where children, a court order for legal separation often makes temporary arrangements for the care, custody and financial support of the children ("for now") involved. Therefore, part of the court order determining custody of the child. Some couples get a legal separation as an alternative to divorce, based on religious or moral objections to divorce.
Legal separation does not automatically lead to divorce. The couple could reconcile, in which case they do not have to do anything to continue their marriage. If the two do not reconcile, and want to continue with divorce, divorce must apply explicitly.