Chicago Divorce Lawyers & Attorneys

There are a lot of misconceptions about annulments. People often think that obtaining a civil annulment is easier than getting a divorce. In reality, civil annulments are often more difficult to obtain because civil annulments are much more narrowly defined than a divorce.

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THE BASICS OF CIVIL ANNULMENTS

• A civil annulment states that a marriage never existed.
• A civil annulment can only be granted by a judge.
• A marriage is not legally impacted by a canonical annulment received through the Catholic church.
• The grounds for receiving a civil annulment vary from state to state and country to country.
• Generally, there is a tight time line for receiving a civil annulment. An annulment action usually has to be filed within two years of the marriage date.
• Some states have strict guidelines about living with one another.
• Cohabitation could be grounds for not granting an annulment.
• Being married only a short time is generally not grounds for an annulment.
• Maintenance or alimony would not usually be considered in an annulment.
• Children of an annulled marriage are considered legitimate.