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Divorce and annulment are very different creatures

On Behalf of | Sep 10, 2018 | Divorce |

There is a distinct difference between getting an annulment and getting a divorce. Although both are appropriate means of formally dissolving a marriage, annulment basically declares that the marriage was never legal in the first place. Divorce ends a marriage that was, in fact, deemed lawful to begin with.  A religious annulment in Connecticut is wholly apart from a divorce or annulment under the law.

Divorces are much more common than annulments. An annulment can be granted under certain instances. Though the grounds for annulment vary from state to state, some of the reasons include if one or both parties were tricked into the marriage, if one or both people weren’t of legal age, in the case of incest, if one or both parties can’t have children, if one or both people were married to others at the time of the marriage, if one or both people were unable to make a logical decision because of being impaired by alcohol or drugs or if one or both parties lied about something serious like having a criminal record. 

Just because a marriage didn’t last long doesn’t mean it can be annulled. In any case, couples pursue divorce when they both agree the marriage is valid. After an annulment, the marriage is thought of as never having been a marriage at all, while a divorce decrees a married couple as single individuals again.

There are complex issues that go hand in hand with the divorce process. A Connecticut attorney can explain the differences in terms. Understanding the differences when it comes to family law terms may help people to decide which avenue they should pursue when it comes to ending a union.