Annulment is a legal declaration that a marriage is invalid rather than simply terminated.
Why It Matters
Annulment matters because it is not just another word for divorce. It is used in situations where the law treats the marriage as invalid because of a defect that existed from the beginning.
Where It Appears
Annulment appears in family-law disputes involving marriage validity, eligibility to marry, fraud in the marriage relationship, and other issues recognized by the governing law.
Practical Example
A person seeks a court ruling that the marriage should be treated as invalid because a legal condition required for a valid marriage was missing. That request may be for annulment.
How It Differs From Nearby Terms
Divorce ends a legally valid marriage. Annulment addresses whether the marriage should be treated as invalid from the start. Legal separation is different because the parties remain married while living under court-recognized separate arrangements.
Related Terms
Knowledge Check
- What is the key idea behind annulment? The key idea is that the marriage is treated as invalid rather than simply ended.
- How is annulment different from divorce? Divorce terminates a valid marriage, while annulment challenges the validity of the marriage itself.