Is it possible to file for legal separation in the state of california without knowing your spouses where-a-bouts?
Yes.
Filing only requires that you (or your attorney) prepare a
petition for legal separation, sign it, and present it to the clerk of the court along with the $435 filing fee. You will, of course, then need to serve or attempt to serve the summons and petition your spouse, which will require that you locate or attempt to locate him/her.
By the way, why do you want to file for
legal separation, rather than divorce?
I know that the process of divorce is painstaking and drawn out.
It is? How do you know that? Do you think it's more "painstaking and drawn out" than the process of legal separation? If so, why do you think that?
I simply want it to be legally documented that we are no longer together
There's no such thing as "legally document[ing] that [you] are no longer together."
can getting a legal separation be a first step if your spouse is missing?
A legal separation is an alternative to divorce. It does not terminate the marriage, but it does allow for division of community property, the termination of the marital community, and the award of spousal and/or child support (as well as determinations regarding child custody and visitation, if applicable). Legal separation is typically preferred by two types of persons: (1) persons who oppose divorce on religious grounds; and (2) persons who want to maintain health insurance for a spouse. The latter scenario often comes up when one spouse has health insurance through an employer and the other spouse has a pre-existing condition (e.g., cancer) that will prevent him/her from obtaining other health insurance in the event of a divorce.
Not knowing where your spouse is has no bearing on whether you seek a divorce/dissolution or a legal separation. Either way, you'll need to make attempts to locate your spouse in order to serve him/her.
