What is an annulment?
An annulment is a ruling that a marriage did not occur. If a marriage is annulled, it is as if it never even happened! It is deemed null from the beginning. Annulments are often obtained from a religious entity, such as the Catholic Church.
what are the grounds for annulment?
- Prior undisclosed marriage.
- Spouse living at the time of the marriage. (also known as Bigamy)
- A party to the marriage was underage at the time of marriage and did not have parental consent.
- A party to the marriage was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
- The marriage was obtained by means of fraud.
- The marriage was obtained based upon the placement of one party under duress.
- A spouse is incurably unable to have sexual intercourse.
- One party’s mental capacity rendered him or her unable to understand the nature, effect or consequences of the marriage.
This list is not fully exhaustive. Often, the grounds for an annulment are set forth in the law and statutes of a particular state, country, jurisdiction or religion. Click here to learn about Annulment in New York.
annulment news:
Pope Frances has radically revised the process by which Catholics can get their marriages annulled! Annulments for Catholics will now be cheaper, quicker, and easier to obtain!
Click here for more on this story from CNN!
Click here for the text of the Pope’s motu proprio issuances on annulment
Click here for annulment statistics and annulment ratios
Click here for 9 things to know about the reformed Annulment Process
religious annulment
Rules & Cannons governing annulment in the Catholic Church:
Code of Cannon Law from the Vatican
western catholic church
Code of Cannons of Oriental Churches
eastern catholic churches
The difference between annulment and divorce is simple. In a divorce, the marriage ends. In an annulment, the marriage is voided and ceases to exist!
Many States don’t provide Do It Yourself annulment Forms. You should consult a divorce lawyer if you are interested in getting an annulment.
Sample State annulment Laws:
Each year, approximately 27,000 Catholics get an annulment in the United States
Source: 2012 Figures from the Center for Applied Research at Georgetown University
How long does an annulment take?
Pope Francis has put into place measures aimed towards making the process of getting an annulment take less than 45 days! It can take 12 to 18 months to get an annulment.
Click here for more on this story from CNN!
Click here for the text of the Pope’s motu proprio issuances on annulment
How much does an annulment cost?
An annulment can cost between $200 and $1000 plus legal and other fees.
State annulment resources:
How to get an annulment in California
How to get an annulment in Massachusetts
How to get an annulment in New York
How to get an annulment in Texas – from TexasLawHelp.org
