Can you be legally seperated but not divorced ?

[Hideehi]

Asking for a friend, the shit is about to hit the fan in her house.

Yes. You can apply for judicial separation. The procedure is very similar though - it's by no means a quick-fix.

Yes but two things get confused. One is judicial separation - same procedure and costs as divorce, but doesn't dissolve the marriage (so no point unless circs are unusual). The other is just separating - this is a question of fact - you aren't living together any more.