Recently in Legal Separation Category

Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and television correspondent Maria Shriver may have always seemed like an odd couple. He is a Republican and former bodybuilder, while she's a journalist and member of the Kennedy family. Yet many people would say that separating after 25 years of marriage was at the very least, unexpected.

The celebrity couple announced their plans to separate, reports The Los Angeles Times, earlier this week. In a joint statement, they wrote to the Times stating that, "After a great deal of thought, reflection, discussion and prayer, we came to this decision together. At this time, we are living apart while we work on the future of our relationship."

After 11 years of marriage, actors Courteney Cox and David Arquette announced that they've decided to take part in a trial separation. Yet unlike a divorce, a separation could be easily reversible and in some cases doesn't require formal property division.

CNN reports that if this celebrity couple was to formally divide their property through a divorce or legal separation, things could get very complicated for the family law attorneys involved in their case. Not only do Courteney Cox and David Arquette own a house together, but they're also business partners. If the two wanted to permanently separate, we could be seeing the drama that's involved in the a typical celebrity divorce all over again.

Perhaps family drama is contagious in the Gore family. The New York Daily News recently reported that the daughter of former Vice President Al Gore, Karenna Gore Schiff, has separated from her husband Drew Schiff after 12 years of marriage. This news comes just a couple weeks after Al and Tipper Gore announced their separation.

Family law attorneys may say that Karenna Gore Schiff is going through perhaps a more complex separation, since she has three young children with her husband Drew Schiff: Wyatt, 10; Anna, 8; and Oscar, 3. It's been reported that Karenna's parents, Al and Tipper Gore, have been helping their daughter out with the kids.

Breaking up is hard to do, especially when there's an engagement ring involved. The people who end up saying "I don't" at the altar often wonder; who gets to keep the ring? The answer is quite complicated, and of course varies depending on the state of residence.

Some couples can come to a harmonious decision on their own about who gets to keep the ring, but others will call a Houston family law attorney and turn the subject into a legal issue. Many women who want to keep their engagement rings argue that the ring should simply be seen as a gift, and that a person has a right to keep that gift. On the contrary, men will argue that the ring is a conditional gift that should only be accepted if the marriage is completed.

The term separation can be a tricky concept when it comes to Texas family law. This is because the state of Texas does not actually recognize the legal concept of separation, according to Divorcenet.com In the Lone Star state, a person is married until a court enters a final divorce decree.

Nevertheless, Texas couples may find it best to consider informally separating before getting a divorce. Some spouses may want to do everything possible to avoid a divorce; whether it be for religious, financial, or personal reasons. Spouses in Texas can enter a "separation agreement" and there are even Houston family attorneys in the area that can help specifically draft separation agreements.