Experienced Annulment Attorney in Riverside, California
Law Firm Specializing in Annulment Actions filed in the Inland Empire of Southern California
An annulment is a legal procedure for declaring a marriage void or voidable. Legally an annulment (also known as ‘nullity of marriage’) is when a court declares a marriage or domestic partnership is not legally valid. The legal impact of an annulment is that the marriage or domestic partnership was never legal, so it is as if it never happened.
California Annulment Laws – Family Code § 2200 – 2255
In California, there are a number of possible “grounds,” or reasons, that a family court might grant a request to annul a marriage:
- The couple is related by blood (Cal Fam. Code § 2200).
- Bigamy – where one spouse was already legally married before entering into the second marriage (Cal Fam. Code § 2201).
- One or both spouses is of “unsound mind” and lacked the ability to give consent due to this impairment (i.e. mental illness, intoxication or drug impairment) (Cal Fam. Code § 2210(c)).
- Either party consented to getting married or filing a domestic partnership as a result of force (Cal Fam. Code § 2210(e)).
- The person requesting the annulment was not eighteen years old at the time of the marriage (Cal Fam. Code § 2210(a)).
- One of the spouses has an “incurable physical incapacity.” This most commonly refers to male impotence that prevents the couple from having sexual relations (Cal Fam. Code § 2210(f)).
- Either spouse perpetrated fraud/deception to obtain the other party’s consent to enter into the marriage. The fraud has to go to the heart, or essence, of the marriage and must have been about something vital to the relationship that directly affected why the party who was deceived agreed to the marriage or domestic partnership. Some examples may include: marrying only to get a green card or hiding the inability to have children (Cal Fam. Code § 2210(d)).
The party seeking an annulment has the burden to prove that one or more of the above reasons existed at the time of the marriage. In California, annulment proceedings are brought in the same way a divorce action is brought. One of the parties has to bring a petition for annulment, and by doing so, they are asking that the court declare the marriage void or voidable. In the event the court grants a petition for annulment, this does not necessarily mean the end of all family law matters between the parties. If the parties have children together, they will likely need to return to the family court to get child support orders, they may end up in a custody dispute, or file a paternity action.
Riverside Annulment Attorneys Combining Knowledge & Skill With Compassion & Dedication
Our attorneys are experienced handling annulments and can advise you on what to file, and where, and how to file it. Although an annulment might seem like a simple solution to end a marriage that never should have happened, the process can involve risks. You generally get only one chance to fix this problem, so you want to do it right. If you think that you may fall within one of the above statutory grounds for an annulment and would like to pursue your options, it is vital that you obtain sound legal advice regarding your options.
Contact Our Experienced Riverside, California Annulment Attorneys Now
No matter what stage of the process you are in, you can rely on the experience of our Riverside annulment attorneys in reaching resolutions in your case. Our lawyers have a thorough understanding of California annulment laws and know how those laws are applied within the court system on a case-by-case basis. We will provide an honest assessment of the facts and let you know the best approach to take. If there are several options, we will advise you accordingly. Our Southern California family law firm fights hard to make the legal system work for our clients. Contact our accomplished and dedicated Riverside child custody lawyers today by calling (909) 966-5245 to learn how our experienced custody attorney, Ronald B. Talkov, can guide you through the court process in a prompt and clear manner.