What is an annulment?

Apr 15 2016 - Posted by , in High Asset Divorce, Tagged in high asset divorce

When many Texas residents hear the word annulment they may assume it is one and the same as divorce. Although an annulment does signify the end of a marriage, usually after a short period of time, there are circumstances that need to be present in order to have a marriage annulled.

An annulment in Texas is invalidating a marriage. There are two grounds for annulment in Texas. The first ground for annulment is void annulment grounds. This is where a person is married to a blood relative such as father, mother, sister, brother, uncle or aunt. It can also happen if a person is already married to someone else.

The second type of annulment is voidable annulment grounds. There are several voidable annulment grounds a person can file under. These include marriage under the ages of 14 or 18, if one of the partners was under the influence of drugs or alcohol during the marriage ceremony, fraud and duress, impotency, or mental incapacity. If an annulment is granted it would be like there was never a marriage to begin with. However, a judge can still work out typical divorce issues including property division and child support, visitation and custody.

The end of a marriage, no matter the circumstances, is often a difficult time for people. A legal professional skilled in family law can help smooth the way and make sure a divorce settlement is fair and allows the person to have a fresh, new start. Each divorce has many nuances that need to be worked out, including property division, child support, spousal support and the like. An attorney can help guide divorcing spouses through each of these issues.

Source: statelaws.findlaw.com, “Texas annulment and prohibited marriage laws“, accessed on April 11, 2016

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