What is the difference between a legal separation and a divorce?

Many divorcing couples believe that they are ‘legally separated’ after one of them has filed for divorce. This is not true. Michigan does not require couples to separate when a divorce is filed. In Michigan, legal separation is known as “separate maintenance.” The procedure is similar to a divorce, except that neither party may remarry. These type of separations are rare. When parties are willing to go to the trouble of engaging the legal system they generally prefer divorce.