Would you date someone who was separated but not divorced?

[Dahlen]

I know someone who's dating a man who is separated for two years but not divorced. (He is definitely separated rather than just claiming to be.)

I think there are issues involved in dating a man who still happens to be married to someone else. But that's my opinion. A lot of people disagree with me. I'm interested in finding out what others think.

I would be wondering about finances, kids (visitation, provision for), limits on where we could live... it's all longterm stuff I suppose but I have seen firsthand people say "I am living in the same house but separate rooms so it doesn't traumatise our DCs", and "her mother is terminally ill and we are waiting for her to die"(!)

So I would want the separation to be demonstrable. But because of the things I list above, for me if they had kids especially it'd be a no.

Dahlen from a separated but not divorced blokes pov...

I would have said a couple of years ago that it didn't matter. W and I separated 3 years ago, I met someone else and we used to talk about the future but I never really felt the urge to push the divorce through even though she wanted me to. I ended it after 18 months because it wasn't right, so perhaps I knew that all along? Not sure really, but I do regret upsetting her.

I have met someone else, been together 6 months and I can't wait to get the divorce finalised - we are completely on the same page (or I am blinded by lurve).

So house is being sold, hope to be divorced within a few months. I would marry in a trice. Just hope she feels the same!

Sunrays . Good luck!

No I wouldn't unless the divorce was well, well under way.

Thank you for all the replies. They all go to show how every situation is different I suppose.

In this particular case the man concerned seems like a genuinely decent guy, but I suspect the relationship may go the same way of SunRays first post-separation relationship (thanks for your POV Sunrays). It may not be that he's "just not that into her" as much as just not being ready to commit as soon as she would like. Which is a shame, because I suspect if the divorce had been finalised sooner they would have very much been on the same page.

My DH was separated but not divorced when I met him.

As a condition of him moving in with me, he set the wheels in motion for his divorce which came through very quickly because there were no joint assets.
The only reason he hadn't done it was lack of money, there was absolutely no contact between them at all after they split.

I have been separated for 5 years and have just filed (not on 5 year without agreement, papers went just before the 5 year point - on 2 years and both agree).

Ex has been living with someone for about 3 years, I have been for 6 months.

We are totally separated, he moved on from the beginning (I would conjecture that he was involved with his new partner before he left), I started to accept it was over after a few months, and then fully accepted it when he told me he was seeing someone else (about 9 months after the split - old me because it was serious & planned to introduce to the kids).

Yet neither of us have done anything about the divorce - why?

Me: at first didn't want to accept it, then was waiting for 2 years, then just haven't bothered, dont want the cost, it made me sad (our relationship is totally over but I am sad about what we had and the kids). Now I just want the paperwork sorted & I would quite like to marry my DP at some point (and when I asked him he said he would prefer it if I was divorced - fair enough, I would prefer it if he was too).

Him: I have no idea!

My partner was was separated when we first met and started seeing eachother. However, his ex had moved numerous people in since the split and the divorce proceedings had started but they found old divorce proceedings back from 2000 from their first separation so had to wait for that to be closed before they could continue on. They then decided because it was amicable to wait the 2 years until he'd moved out so they could do a straight forward divorce as all arrangements with the children and money were all sorted so wouldn't need any solicitors fighting their case.
We didn't get serious until his ex fell pregnant with someone else's child as this confirmed, to me, that it was a true seperation. It also helped that my brother knew partners son quite well so could confirm everything I'd been told.

I wouldn't. Colour me cynical but I want to see clear blue water between potential partners and their exes.

I would not.
People seem to not give themselves time to heal any more,just jump into the next relationship and give no time to grieve for the relationship just lost
I divorced 7 years ago, took me 3 years till I 'd dealt with the issues and was TRULY ready for another relationship.
IMO, jumping straight into another relationship is rather cruel to the new partner.

Yes, Dh was technically still married when I met him, been apart three years.

They too just trotted along without getting divorced, no particular need. Really it was the Ex's safety net, I think she thought she could snap her fingers and he'd be there.

Until I pointed out, if he suddenly died she would cop his house, his pension etc. Amazing how quickly DH saw a solicitor

She didn't like me much

Well, I'm only seperated and although my Nisi is through the absolute is going to drag on because of my ex being an arse. I have been and am dating. To be honest if I didn't date because I was not yet divorced I would see it as yet another control the ex had over me, even after he left me for an OW.

I was separated for years before divorcing. No particular reason, we both moved on quickly. We divorced when I was going to remarry.

The last three posts really show up the contrast, don't they. I agree with you Lucetta, unless you are that rare exception who can date with the intention of never allowing your feelings to get involved on more than a superficial level and find people to date who feel the same.

OTOH I can see completely where Music is coming from, especially given the OW situation.

Personally, I would prefer the divorce to be completely done and dusted, but I think the difference for the last two posters is that the divorce had been started, even if not finalised. In the case I'm talking about, no one has even had a look online to check out the process and costs, let alone seen a solicitor. There is no will there as far as I can see, and yes, in the meantime, the man's wife would benefit from the house and pension etc should anything happen to him and would still be his official next of kin.

I know everyone is different and that I'm not 'right' and everyone else is wrong, but I would find that really quite horrendous to know that someone who no longer had a part in my life still had that degree of involvement and control. How on earth can you really go on to build a future with someone else with that hanging over you?

Like StupidFlanders, I was separated for a few years and only divorced when I was going to remarry. There were no children involved no joint property and from the day the ex took his things we had no contact until he received the divorce papers.
It obviously made no difference to my now DH as we have been happily married for over 30 years.

oldwoman - did it not bother you that you were engaged to someone else and yet your estranged H would still have had the right to determine what happened to you in the event of an accident, etc? I know it's not likely scenario for anyone, but it never is until it happens.

Personally I wouldn't ever get involved with someone who had so many ties to someone else unless they were prepared to move the divorce along because it means that they can't fully commit legally, financially or emotionally to a new relationship.