What qualifies a married couple for annulment?
Divorce is not the only way to end a marriage. Some couples dissolve their union through a legal process called annulment. However, not every married couple qualifies for this procedure. It takes specific circumstances to go through with annulling a marriage.
According to Forbes, the key qualifier for annulment is that the marriage should never have taken place. Basically, there is a factor that disqualifies the couple from being in a married union.
Examples of disqualifiers
Sometimes people have physical conditions that do not allow for marriage. Someone may suffer from a mental disability and cannot consent to a legal agreement. Spouses can annul a marriage if they cannot consummate their union. It may also turn out that the spouses are close blood relatives, so they cannot legally marry.
Coercion as a factor
You must be free to marry whomever you wish. If someone has coerced you into a union or you were under the influence of drugs or alcohol when you got married, the law may annul your marriage. Fraud may also result in annulment, such as if a spouse lied about the fact that he or she cannot have children.
Religious annulment
People who get married in a religious ceremony could also seek annulment on grounds similar to a civil annulment. A spouse may claim the other spouse misrepresented important facts that would have led the spouse to not enter into the marriage. Being sterile or psychologically unfit can also be factors.
Since annulment might be a simpler way to dissolve your union than divorce, it is an option worth considering if you suspect your situation may qualify for it.