Annulments

An annulment is a court ruling that treats a marriage as if it never existed. This is different from a divorce in that neither spouse is entitled to anything from the other, such as alimony or child support. Annulments may be recommended by a family practice lawyer if the couple does not have any children, or it both make substantial income on their own.

Why do couples file for annulment?

The reasons couples file for annulment usually fall under the category of fraud, which means that one spouse failed to disclose important information to the other. For instance, one spouse may have been married to someone else while married to the current spouse, or could have neglected to tell his/her spouse that he/she is unable to have children. If one spouse does not tell the other that they have no desire to have children before the two are married, this is also grounds for an annulment. Annulments can also be granted if one spouse fails to mention that he/she has a disease that is infectious (i.e. HIV or AIDS), which would put the other spouse's life or health in danger.

Many family practice lawyers may advise that a couple undergo a temporary separation (which is usually the action taken before a divorce) to decide if the annulment is the best option. Often, couples who choose to have their marriage annulled may have already made up their minds, due to the conditions under which an annulment is possible, but a trial period of seperation may help.

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