Separation from bed and board

The spouses remain married but cease to live together.

Legal separation always entails separation of property.

The judge must therefore decide on the allocation of the home and the fate of the children.

The other consequences and obligations arising from the marriage remain, in particular the duty of fidelity and the obligation to provide support.

This duty to help may give rise to the payment of maintenance to the spouse in need. This may be awarded in the judgement pronouncing the legal separation, or in a subsequent judgement.

Each spouse retains the use of the other's name unless (at the request of one of them) the judgment pronouncing the separation prohibits it.