Legal separation (sometimes judicial separation, separate maintenance, divorce ', or divorce from bed-and-board'") is a legal process by which a married couple may formalize a separation while remaining legally married. A legal separation is granted in the form of a court order. In cases where children are involved, a court order of legal separation often makes child custody arrangements, specifying sole custody or shared parenting, as well as child support. Some couples obtain a legal separation as an alternative to a divorce, based on moral or religious objections to divorce.