An annulment is a declaration by an Orange County, California court that a marriage was never
legally binding or valid. While it is not easy to receive an annulment of your
marriage, several specific conditions may be grounds for an annulment. These
include:
- If the relationship was incestuous;
- Bigamy;
- Underage Spouse;
- Coercion;
- Fraud;
- or Mental / Physical Incapacity.
If you feel that you have been misled, treated
fraudulently, or if any of the above circumstances apply, you may make an
application before a judge for an annulment of your marriage. Under the
California Family Code there are time limits set that require you to file for an
annulment within four years from the date of marriage.
If a party was underage at the time of marriage, they would not be legally
entitled to marry, therefore the court would grant an annulment. Additionally,
if a person felt forced or coerced to marry, and were able to illustrate to the
judge such circumstances, an annulment may be ordered. Additional considerations
would include any information just coming to light that might indicate a fraud
or misrepresentation at the time of marriage; this could result in an annulment.
If a California judge agrees that these conditions have been met they will issue
an order nullifying the marriage (annulment) that has the effect of restoring
both parties to the status of unmarried persons.
An experienced California family law attorney can offer you advice about your
legal rights and options. They will review the information and the case law to
make a determination as to the possibilities of the success of this action in
court. They will also look after the preparation of any forms, documents, or
petitions to the court, and most importantly they will represent the interests
of the party before the judge who considers this request.
If you have any questions regarding California Family Law, please
contact us online or call us at 714-835-4444.
Related Information
Divorce in Orange County
Dissolution of Marriage |
