Basic Information About Divorce and Separation 1. What is a divorce? A divorce is a court judgment ending a marriage. The court requires a "legal reason" for the divorce. Grounds or reasons for a divorce are discussed starting at question 13. In addition to legally ending your marriage, the court looks at other issues which need to be decided before the divorce becomes final. 2. Is divorce my only option? No. Married couples may choose to live apart from each other, but remain married, for religious, personal, or financial reasons, or for the sake of the children. You may decide to seek a Judgment of Separate Support or a Judgment of Support. A Judgment of Separate Support can decide custody. 3. What is the difference between a divorce and separate support? The main difference is that a judgment of divorce ends the marriage; a judgment of separate support does not end the marriage. Although there are differences between them, a separate support j