With no-fault divorces available in all 50 states, annulments are not as common as they once were. Yet, there are still situations where getting an annulment is the proper route to take to end a marriage instead of divorce.
Typically, an annulment is much cheaper than the average divorce. But you cannot get an annulment rather than a divorce simply to save money. The underlying premise of an annulment is that one or both spouses learned something pertinent about the other or the circumstances of the marriage after the fact that would have stopped the marriage from taking place.
That might be an instance of outright fraud like owing vast sums of money in back taxes or being a convicted felon. You will need to state for the record that had this knowledge not been hidden, it would have been sufficient to quell the prospect of marrying the person.
Sometimes, it might not be a hidden bombshell but rather a change of heart. The two of you discussed having a family together but after the wedding, your spouse informs you that she decided not to have any kids.
Alternatively, perhaps your spouse only revealed his true colors after the marriage. Sometimes, the first episodes of domestic violence occur on the honeymoon, blindsiding the victims.
An annulment is also appropriate when a spouse is found to have already been married. Even though the second marriage may never have been legal due to your spouse’s unentangled status, you still want to erase this episode from your marital record.
To best determine which is the appropriate legal course of action to take, consult with a Detroit attorney.
