When going through a divorce in California and when you file for divorce you will be asked what your date of separation is. This confused a lot of people because many of the clients we help are still living together. So then they will either ask what date of separation to use or say that they are still living together.
The question then is, “can you live together during the divorce process?”
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In California divorce there is no requirement that you actually live apart, separately or in separate households. When it comes to filing the divorce Petition, you will be required to decide on a date of separation even if you are till living together. So the date of separation, does not mean the date you started living separately, although it can be.
I would say many or most of our clients are still living together at the time of filing for divorce. The question about the date of separation throws them off. Here is what I tell them.
Examples dates you can use for the date of separation:
- The date one of you moved out
- The date you discussed getting a divorce
- The date you file for divorce
- These dates will be todays date or a date in the past
So the long answer to can you live together during the divorce process is Yes. Any many do live together during the divorce process until there is that point which is a natural break. I tell our clients that there will be a point in the process where it feels natural for the parties to physically separate.
