![\"picture](\"https:\/\/divorceanswers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/marriage-annulment-faqs.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nWhat Is a Marriage Annulment?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Choosing to get an annulment is a way to have your marriage nullified and thus end an unsuccessful marriage. In an annulment, the court determines whether a marriage is legally valid or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But, what is considered an annulled marriage?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Annulled Marriage Meaning<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
A decree of nullity is a court\u2019s declaration that a marriage never occurred in the eyes of the law. This means that the marriage between you and your spouse isn\u2019t valid and was never a legal union.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Annulment is different from divorce. While annulment is a declaration of an invalid marriage, a divorce is a legal termination of a valid marriage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to a report, there were over 782,038 annulment and divorce cases<\/a> in the U.S. in 2018. A survey per 1,000 married women also shows that almost 50% of all marriages end up in separation<\/a> in the U.S. While this may be dropping, the termination of marriage is still a harsh reality for many Americans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Legally, there are two types of marriages eligible for annulment:<\/p>\n\n\n\n First, an annulment may only be granted if it meets state specific legal requirements. The legal justifications make legal annulment very rare in some states, and they may include the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because one of these conditions must be met for an annulment to be granted, they are rare. However, if you are given an annulment, it means you and your spouse can start a new life with a clean slate. And because the marriage is nullified, your marital status becomes single or unmarried instead of divorced. In the eyes of the law, your marriage never happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many couples also find they\u2019re significantly better off financially because they don\u2019t need to share their properties nor pay alimony. Since a marriage is deemed to have never occurred, each spouse isn\u2019t seen as a married person from a legal point of view. However, the original license application of marriage and annulment remains in the public record.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A marriage is only considered annulled when the law concludes that it was either void or voidable. This designation is subject to meeting specific criteria, or else an annulment would not apply. It\u2019s critical to examine the various circumstances that surround a marriage to make that determination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Void marriages automatically qualify for an annulment because they were formed based on an illegal act. However, even though legal reasons may exist, the court won\u2019t invalidate voidable marriages unless one of the couple files for an annulment. This point is crucial as it is enforceable only when one of the partners seeks legal action in their marriage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The reasons for getting an annulment are very different than the divorce reasons<\/a>. Here are the five common reasons across states you can may use to get a marriage annulment:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The most common grounds for annulment are bigamy, duress, and fraud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The only way for the court to grant a decree of nullity is by proving any of the following legal grounds: misrepresentation or fraud, incest, lack of consummation, lack of consent, bigamy, unsound mind, or coercion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want to file for an annulment, you should first consult with a lawyer in your state to determine whether the specifics of your situation provide legal grounds for an annulment. If none of these legal grounds for annulment applies to you, it will be challenging to impossible to convince the court to grant you the annulment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s also essential to take note of the following facts about annulments:<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can file an annulment through your local court in any state<\/a>. The only requirement is that you live in the state in which you file your annulment. For example, if you live in California, you can file your annulment there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unlike divorce, there\u2019s no length of stay requirement for residency. So you can simply file your annulment in whatever state you currently reside.<\/p>\n\n\n There are several essential steps you need to follow to begin the annulment process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before pursuing an annulment case, make sure you understand the legal grounds surrounding your circumstances. You may want to consult with a lawyer to verify first if you qualify for an annulment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As is the case with divorce, filling out your court forms is the first step to start your annulment case. Ensure checking the boxes applicable to annulment or nullity. It\u2019s also crucial to check the correct box to serve as the basis of your petition to get an annulment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It may be challenging to prove the invalidity of your marriage, but you need to be clear and concise on the requirements to prove the reason for your case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With this, if the court doesn\u2019t grant the annulment, you can still move on under the same case filing for a divorce. Here are the steps in filling out your court forms:<\/p>\n\n\n\n After filling out all the necessary forms, you may file the originals and copies with the court clerk. If no errors are found in the inspection of your documents, the clerk takes the original copy of each form and returns the other copies with a \u2018Filed\u2019 stamp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the law, you need to let your partner know that the legal process for annulment has started. Thus, you need to \u2018serve\u2019 your partner with a copy of the filed complaint and other court papers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Be sure to note that the court won\u2019t make any orders in your annulment case until the annulment papers are correctly served to your spouse. Additionally, the court won\u2019t \u2018serve\u2019 the annulment papers on your behalf. It\u2019s your responsibility to serve the defendant after filing the case. If this fails to be completed in a reasonable amount of time, the court may dismiss your case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After serving the annulment papers, you need to set up a court hearing where you appear before the judge and prove why the annulment must be granted. Your spouse also has the right to appear in the court hearing and make objections to your request.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes- you can get an annulment without cooperation from your partner. Your spouse can\u2019t stop the annulment process<\/a> unless they provide the court the necessary proof. Both parties do not need to agree for an annulment to happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, the one who files for the annulment needs a solid and persuasive basis to prove to the judge why the marriage should be annulled. In some cases, this can be a simple matter. However, it might be challenging for other situations, especially if the other party contests the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even if you\u2019re separated from your partner for many years, it still doesn\u2019t create sufficient grounds for an annulment. If you\u2019re married but separated from your spouse for many years, the marriage is still valid until the court declares it null and void.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After getting married, the time you get to obtain an annulment depends on several factors, including why you seek an annulment, the state you live in, and your actions during the marriage. Laws vary significantly from state to state. So, it\u2019s better to check with your state laws to know the requirements for getting an annulment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s essential to file the annulment case with the local court before the state\u2019s statute of limitations for annulment runs out. Completing the summons to inform your partner of the filed complaint within thirty days is necessary. Your spouse has another thirty days from the day of receipt to respond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After this, you and your spouse need to attend the court hearing as designated in your case. The judge grants the annulment if the court finds the request valid and is adequately supported by your documents. Finally, you\u2019ll receive an official order of your annulment being granted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In California<\/a>, for example, the deadline depends on your basis for the annulment case:<\/p>\n\n\n\n These matters can involve complicated statutes of limitations and complex custodial and financial implications. Thus, it\u2019s necessary to consult with a lawyer or legal counsel before pursuing an annulment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The annulment process may take from a month on the short end to a year on the long end. However, this isn\u2019t a hard and fast rule because the duration depends on several important factors, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n There is no time limitation on filing an annulment from the start of marriage because the legal grounds for annulment can be identified at any time. Thus, nothing stops you from seeking an annulment whether you are married with your spouse for a day, a month, a year, or more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All states in the U.S. recognize marriage annulment, but the statute of limitations for filing an alignment significantly varies by state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For void marriages that do not legally exist, you can file at any time as long as both you and your spouse are still living. In contrast to void marriages, voidable marriages are legal but flawed, and the law says they shouldn\u2019t be recognized. In most states, voidable marriages can be annulled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Both annulment and divorce have the same effect \u2013 the termination of a marriage<\/a>. The only difference between the two is the treatment of marriage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, if you and your spouse get divorced, your marriage is still valid previously. In contrast to divorce, an annulment treats marriage as if it never occurred. In fact, the primary distinction of an annulment is that the marriage isn\u2019t legal to begin with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An annulment ends the same way with the divorce \u2013 the two spouses become single and may remarry with another person. In the case of divorce, the presiding court determines several issues of child support, child custody, division of assets, and alimony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here's the Differences Between Annulments and Divorces<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The procedure for obtaining an annulment is similar to that of divorce. A spouse starts the process by filing a petition with the local court. Then, a hearing is held, and if granted, the court issues an order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Typically, a divorce starts by filing a divorce petition irrespective of the state of residence. The complainant or the legal counsel writes it and then served on the other party. Then, the petition is filed in the county where the petitioning spouse resides, irrespective of where the marriage took place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s highly recommended to get legal counsel before you file a divorce or annulment case. Just consider that an annulment can involve several legal complexities such as child support, child custody, and division of assets. All of these factors rely heavily on the understanding of your rights and the law. As a result, an attorney can often provide valuable legal advice in these areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Additionally, if a spouse asks for an annulment, and the other asks for a divorce, the court\u2019s decision usually favors an annulment rather than a divorce as long as the grounds are satisfied. This is because the annulment is preempting the divorce. If the marriage doesn\u2019t exist, then a divorce isn\u2019t necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In filing for a divorce, you and your spouse must disclose all personal and combined assets, income, liabilities, and expenses. If both parties agree on divorce terms, what\u2019s left would be filing paperwork and legal documents. The marriage is legally dissolved once the judge enters the final judgment, given the state's waiting period. However, if both parties can\u2019t agree on the terms, a trial is needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the case of annulment, the issues such as child support and custody should be resolved the same way as that of divorce. However, neither spouse can claim survivorship benefits or spousal support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The division of assets is also different in the case of annulment. Generally speaking, the court tries to leave each spouse in the same status they were before the marriage happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, you know the answers to the most frequently asked questions about annulment. When filing for an annulment, the court staff can\u2019t give you any legal advice and recommendations about what you need to do. They can\u2019t also tell you how to protect your own interests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For these reasons, it is usually a good idea to consult with a lawyer or a family counselor before pursuing an annulment. These professionals can help you understand whether you should get an annulment or divorce depending on your circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The whole process can move faster and more seamlessly if you and your spouse already reach an agreement on many issues before the annulment process begins. So consider your decision carefully and understand that the process will take some time. And rely on the expert legal advice available through an attorney to ensure the process proceeds as smoothly as possible.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" There are different legal options available to deal with a failed marriage. A couple can go to court asking to get divorced or may choose to go another route and look to get an annulment instead. An annulled marriage is when a marriage never happened in the court\u2019s eyes. Getting a marriage annulment has many … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":1951,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"Answered: Marriage Annulment FAQs | Divorce Answers","_seopress_titles_desc":"An annulled marriage is when a marriage never happened in the court\u2019s eyes. Does your marriage qualify for an annulment?","_seopress_robots_index":"","inline_featured_image":false},"categories":[116],"tags":[167],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/divorceanswers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/marriage-annulment-faqs-600x400.jpg","featured_image_src_square":"https:\/\/divorceanswers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/marriage-annulment-faqs-600x500.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"Lauren Cook-McKay","author_link":"https:\/\/divorceanswers.com\/author\/laurendivorceanswers-com\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/divorceanswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1907"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/divorceanswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/divorceanswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/divorceanswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/divorceanswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1907"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/divorceanswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1907\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10990,"href":"https:\/\/divorceanswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1907\/revisions\/10990"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/divorceanswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1951"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/divorceanswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1907"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/divorceanswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1907"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/divorceanswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1907"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}How Does an Annulment Work?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
When Can a Marriage Be Annulled?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What Are Marriage Annulment Reasons?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Do I Qualify For a Marriage Annulment?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Where Can I Get My Marriage Annulled?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"picture](\"https:\/\/divorceanswers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/marriage-annulment.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nHow To Get a Marriage Annulled?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Fill Out Your Court Forms<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
File Your Forms With the Court Clerk<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Serve the First Set of Forms<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Court Hearing and Next Steps<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Can I Get an Annulment Without the Other Person?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
After How Many Years of Separation Is a Marriage Annulled?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How Long Can You Be Married and Still Get an Annulment?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How Long Do You Have To Annul a Marriage?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How Soon Can You Get an Annulment After Marriage?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What States Recognize Marriage Annulment?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What's the Difference Between Divorce and Annulment?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/th> Annulment<\/th> Divorce<\/th><\/tr><\/thead> State required length of time before filing<\/strong><\/td> Immediately allowed<\/td> Varies depending on the state. Can be up to 1-2 years<\/td><\/tr> Marriage legally existed<\/strong><\/td> No<\/td> Yes<\/td><\/tr> Children considered legitimate<\/strong><\/td> Yes<\/td> Yes<\/td><\/tr> Division of property<\/strong><\/td> No<\/td> Yes<\/td><\/tr> Alimony<\/strong><\/td> No<\/td> Yes<\/td><\/tr> Legal qualification<\/strong><\/td> High<\/td> Low<\/td><\/tr> Grounds for termination of marriage needed<\/strong><\/td> Yes<\/td> No (for no-fault divorces)<\/td><\/tr> Marital status after<\/strong><\/td> Single or unmarried<\/td> Divorced<\/td><\/tr> Witness and\/or proof required<\/strong><\/td> Yes<\/td> No (for no-fault divorces)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Procedure<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Final Steps of Marriage Termination<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Takeaways<\/h2>\n\n\n\n