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An annulment brings a marriage to an end, but it is very different from a traditional divorce. Instead of concluding the marriage through a court order, this process declares that the union between two people was never valid to begin with. In fact, these cases are sometimes known as “invalidity of marriage” actions. A Bellevue annulment lawyer could file this type of action on your behalf.
If you believe you have the right to an annulment, now is the time to review your options. Pursuing this route could have its benefits over divorce, but not everyone may qualify. An experienced divorce attorney at Twyford Law Office could help guide you through this process.
The purpose of annulment proceedings is for the court to determine whether an existing marriage is valid under Washington law. There are a limited number of situations where the court has the authority to decide that the union between two people is invalid on legal grounds. Desiring to end a marriage is not a valid basis for an annulment; that is what divorce is for.
Annulling a marriage usually involves determining whether the parties had the legal right to wed. One of the most common circumstances occurs when one or more of the parties was underage at the time. A person under the age of 18 must have parental consent to marry. Without it, they cannot legally consent to the union. Others who lack capacity include individuals:
Issues involving public policy could also serve as grounds to annul a marriage. For example, a person may not marry when they are already married to someone else. This is polygamy, which is illegal in the United States. Likewise, the court allows for annulment when the spouses are blood relatives. A Bellevue annulment attorney could assist with determining the right grounds for the situation.
Once a judge agrees to annul a marriage, it is as if the two people were never spouses. However, aspects similar to a divorce case might emerge during an annulment to ensure people receive fair and equitable treatment. After all, a couple could live together as if married for years before a court determines their union to be invalid.
The first and most common matter is an order regarding child custody and support. Two people do not have to be legally married for a custody issue to arise.
A judge might also issue orders related to the division of marital property. If the couple lived together for several years, the judge may follow the standard divorce laws when deciding how to divide shared assets and debts. A judge may also award spousal support in some cases.
Often, there is more involved in these cases than formally declaring a marriage to be invalid. A seasoned annulment lawyer in Bellevue could review your circumstances and provide guidance on your best options.
If you believe there are grounds to declare your marriage invalid, a Bellevue annulment lawyer could help. This process can be confusing, but the support of our strong legal counsel could make all the difference. Contact Twyford Law Office today for a confidential consultation to learn about your legal options.
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