Noun: legal separation 'lee-gul ,se-pu'rey-shun
- (law) the cessation of cohabitation of man and wife (either by mutual agreement or under a court order)
"The couple opted for a legal separation instead of divorce";
- separation
- (law) a judicial decree regulating the rights and responsibilities of a married couple living apart
"They obtained a legal separation while deciding whether to pursue a full divorce";
- judicial separation
Derived forms: legal separations
Type of: cessation, decree, edict, fiat, order, rescript, surcease [archaic]
Encyclopedia: Legal separation