Divorce and Annulment: What You Need to Know

You should know the difference between a divorce and an annulment before visiting a divorce attorney. Knowing the difference will allow the person to speak to the attorney with the knowledge to explain his or her needs. A divorce lawyer has to take two different approaches for divorces and annulment.

An annulment is a process that makes a marriage invalid. It differs from a divorce in that no record of the marriage exists after the judge approves the annulment. It is as if the client were never married at all. An attorney cannot file for an annulment unless it meets the qualifying criteria. A family law attorney may be able to convince a judge to rule for an annulment if:

One of the spouses had not reached adulthood when the marriage took place.

The married couple is somehow related to each other by bloodlines.

One of the married parties was legally married when this second marriage took place.

The marriage occurred just to provide one of the spouses with protection from deportation.

One of the spouses has a severe mental health issue or addiction.

Someone forced the marriage.

The person who is asking for the annulment is the one who has to prove that the marriage is unlawful in some way. A judge will review the facts and determine the case’s fate. The couple may also have to hire a child custody attorney if children are involved in the case.