What is an Annulment?
An annulment is a unique way to end a marriage. Dissimilar to a divorce, an annulment views the marriage as non-existent; an annulled marriage, in the eyes of the law, never took place. The annulment erases the marriage, making it void. In simple terms, couples file for an annulment of marriage in Virginia to state that it was never valid when it was affirmed.
An annulment of marriage in Virginia is a legal maneuver; the state recognizes and grants annulments. However, to attain an annulment of marriage in Virginia, the filing partner(s) must meet certain conditions.
How Do I Qualify For an Annulment of Marriage in Virginia?
To qualify for annulments of marriage in Virginia, one of the following conditions must be met:
• To receive an annulment of marriage in VA, there must be some sort of defect in the marriage
• To receive an annulments of marriage in VA The marriage must have involved some kind of fraud
• To receive an annulment of marriage in VA one of the spouses (parties) must have withheld important information from the other party. For example, one of the spouses lied about being actively married or lied about impotence/the inability to have children.
Examples of Defects that would lead to an Annulment of Marriage in Virginia:
In addition to the above, for the purpose of receiving annulments of marriage in Virginia, a marriage is considered to be defected if there was a serious error at the time of the wedding ceremony. Examples of defects that will lead to annulments of marriage in Virginia include:
• The individual officiating at the wedding ceremony was not legally qualified to do so
• The marriage license was not valid
• One of the parties was married to someone else at the time of the marriage
• One or both of the parties was too young to legally marry
• One or both of the parties hid valuable information pertaining to mental illness or addiction
Examples of Fraud in the Marriage:
Fraud is another reason for annulments in Virginia to be granted. If you are attempting to prove fraud, you must prove that:
• To prove fraud and secure an annulment of marriage in VA: Your spouse, through the creation of some ruse, severely misled you
• To prove fraud and secure an annulment of marriage in VA you must show that the misrepresentation was ultimately intentional
• To prove fraud and secure an annulment of marriage in VA, you must show that you suffered damage because of this action
• To prove fraud and secure an annulment of marriage in VA you must demonstrate that you fully trusted your spouse
Withholding of Information:
The last reason for annulments of marriage in Virginia includes withholding of crucial information before the wedding takes place. The information—to be granted an annulment of marriage in Virginia—must be significant and disclosure of this information must cause extreme rifts in the relationship. Some examples that may lead to annulment of marriage in Virginia include:
• An annulment of marriage in VA will be upheld if a spouse withheld information concerning Felony convictions or a criminal history
• An annulment of marriage in VA will be upheld if a spouse withheld information concerning Impotence
• An annulment of marriage in VA will be upheld if a spouse withheld information concerning Pregnancy outside of the marriage within 10 months of the wedding date
If you believe you have a solid reason for an annulment of marriage in Virginia (based on the above criteria) you must contact an annulment or divorce attorney who specializes in family law.
