No. The difference between legal separation and divorce often comes up in family law, and the difference is quite simple. In a legal separation the parties are still married. "A divorce ends your marriage. After you get divorced, you will be single, and you can marry again.” www.georgiacourts.org The Georgia Courts do allow for a type of action similar to legal separation called separate maintenance. "A party who wishes to live apart permanently, but who does not want to get a divorce, may file a separate maintenance action. The spouses will remain legally married although living apart." www.gabar.org You do not need a separate maintenance action to move forward with a divorce in Georgia. Some people chose a separate maintenance action due to religious, emotional, or financial reasons. The legal process for a separate maintenance and an uncontested divorce in Georgia is very similar, so unless both people feel strongly about the separate maintena...