The courts appear to be authorized to grant to a party in a separate maintenance action any of the relief that the court could grant to a party in a divorce action, either preliminary or in final orders, including child custody, child support, spousal support, alimony, property division, and attorney's fees and costs. No order in a separate maintenance action is effective beyond the joint lives of the parties.
The court can "change, modify or revoke" a separate maintenance decree at any time, at least prospectively, and a separate maintenance decree does not bar either party from bringing a subsequent action for divorce.