There are many ways to do this without a legal separation. A contract signed between two people and made to be legally binding is far more sensible than a separation IF the ONLY goal is to be protected.
A "contract signed between two people and made to be legally binding" sounds like a legal separation agreement. I don't see the difference here.
----"Et tu, Brute?"---- me:28 W:24 S4 T:6 M:4 EA Exposed: 5/21/10 Bomb: 6/20/10 (Father's Day) NC w/ OM: 7/10/10 W moved out 8/21/10 http://bit.ly/aOrZne - My sitch