Annulment

An annulment is a declaration from the court that a marriage is not legally valid. After a marriage is annulled it is legally as if it never occurred. State laws vary, but there are common reasons a marriage can be annulled. For example, a marriage can be annulled for incest, which is the marriage of two individuals who are too closely related by blood, or bigamy, which occurs if one of the spouses is already legally married to another person.

Other valid reasons to annul a marriage include if the marriage occurred when one of the partners was less than 18 years of age, one of the partners did not have a sound mind and could not understand the nature of the agreement they entered into, one party committed fraud, or one party forced the other party to get married. Annulments are also allowed if one party is physically incapable of consummating the marital relationship.

Annulments can happen at any time during the marital relationship before the statute of limitations expires. The statute of limitations can vary based on the reason for the annulment. Additionally, a spouse will need evidence they can give to the court to prove why their marriage is not valid. Proving that there is a legally valid reason to get an annulment can be very difficult. Talk to a lawyer if you have questions about your state's laws.