What is a marriage annulment?
Annulment is a legal procedure that declares a marriage null and void, as if it had never taken place. Unlike divorce, which is a termination of a valid marriage, annulment essentially erases the marriage from legal existence. The grounds for annulment vary by jurisdiction but generally include circumstances where the marriage was not valid from the beginning.
Common grounds for annulment may include:
- Fraud or Misrepresentation: If one party deceived the other in a way that goes to the heart of the marriage, it might be grounds for annulment.
- Bigamy: If one spouse was already married at the time of the marriage ceremony, the subsequent marriage may be annulled.
- Incest: Marriages between close blood relatives are considered void in many jurisdictions.
- Impotence: If one party is unable to consummate the marriage and the other party was not aware of this before the marriage, it might be grounds for annulment.
- Lack of Consent: If one or both parties did not have the mental capacity or were under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the marriage, the marriage might be considered void.
- Underage Marriage: If one or both parties were underage and did not have parental or legal consent to marry, the marriage may be annulled.
How do I get a divorce in a False Marriage?
A false marriage may be annulled within a year of contracting it.
