I don't know what protections a legal separation provides.
My parents were married when my father had a car accident that resulted in a fatality. After the criminal trial, (Dad was found guilty and sent to prison) There was a civil suit filed, and they lost about half of their accumulated savings. Dad was in his seventies, Mom in her sixties, to this was the money that was to provide for their retirement. You might want to ask a lawyer if a separation would protect your financial assets.