An annulment or a nullity may only be granted when a marriage is adjudged void or voidable. In brief, a marriage is void in cases of incest or bigamy and is voidable in cases of minority, a current spouse mistakenly believed to be deceased, unsound mind, fraud, force and physical incapacity. A void marriage is void from the beginning as though it never occurred. A voidable marriage on the other hand, is valid unless and until it is declared a nullity by the court.

Nullity proceedings usually require a court trial where evidence is presented to support the nullity request. In contrast, since marital dissolution proceedings require no fault allegation, divorce judgments can be granted without a trial.

Because the Law Offices of Randy W. Medina focuses exclusively on family law matters, we provide a unique focus on the specific issues relating to obtaining a nullity of marriage. We use our knowledge to advise our clients about the important choices in determining whether to seek a nullity in the first place or to proceed with the less stringent proof requirements of a divorce.

Fraud is by far the most common ground for an annulment. To obtain an annulment, however, you must be able to prove to a judge that your marriage or domestic partnership was never legally valid based on the specific facts and circumstances in your matter. The length of your marriage or domestic partnership does not factor into whether an annulment is granted or not. It is vital you speak to our Los Angeles Family Law Attorney based in Pasadena, California to ensure your annulment process goes as smoothly as possible.