Annulment

An annulment doesn't end a marriage — it declares that the marriage never legally existed in the first place. After an annulment, both parties are treated as if they were never married. This is fundamentally different from divorce, which ends a valid marriage.

Annulments are available only in specific circumstances. Common grounds include: one spouse was already married to someone else (bigamy), the marriage was based on fraud or serious misrepresentation, one spouse lacked the mental capacity to consent, the marriage was entered under duress or force, the spouses are too closely related by blood, or one spouse was underage without proper consent. Simply regretting the marriage or having a very short marriage is not grounds for annulment.

Religious annulments — such as those granted by the Catholic Church — are completely separate from civil court annulments. A religious annulment has no legal effect on your marital status under state law. If you want to be legally single again, you still need a civil court annulment or a standard divorce.

Annulments are rare because the legal grounds are narrow and specific. If you believe your marriage was legally invalid from the start — due to fraud, bigamy, or incapacity — an annulment may be available. However, courts apply these standards strictly, and most marriages that people want to end require a standard divorce.

Even after an annulment, courts can address practical issues like child custody, child support, and property division. 'Erasing' the marriage legally doesn't erase the practical consequences of having lived together and possibly raised children.