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Annulment of Arizona Marriage

Although annulment of Arizona marriage is rare, the procedure is readily available when the necessary legal grounds exist. Just know that most couples file for divorce because marriage annulment is not an option for them.

What is an Annulment?

annulment in Arizona

The legal theory behind annulment is that the marriage was not valid from the very beginning, which means a legal marriage never existed (see Arizona marriage requirements). Annulment returns the person’s status to single, having never been lawfully married in the first place. A couple could live together for years and hold themselves out as husband and wife, yet not be.

 

How to Get an Annulment in Arizona

In order for a legally married couple to be eligible for an annulment in Arizona they need to be able to prove the marriage is “void”. Marital relationships that are subject to annulment proceedings are classified as “void” or “voidable” and are sometimes referred to as nullified marriages, here’s how they are classified. A void marriage is a nullity and void from the very beginning – prohibited marriages fall into this category, such as an incestuous marriage between brother and sister. By comparison, in a voidable marriage, one of the parties has the right to annul the marriage, but he or she has not yet exercised that right. Arizona court proceedings are required to annul the voidable marriage.

What Constitutes an Impediment to a Valid Marriage in Arizona?

The court should annul the marriage if one or more of these grounds for annulment are proved:

  1. Duress or Lacking Consent

    When someone is forced to marry, compelled because violence is threatened, the marriage is voidable and may be eligible for a marriage annulment. To be valid, a marriage requires voluntary consent. Forcing someone to marry under threat of serious physical harm, or domestic violence, is wholly inconsistent with voluntary consent.

  2. Insanity, Mental Illness, Lacking Mental Capacity

    When someone marries while insane, mentally ill, or while lacking mental capacity such that he or she could not give legal consent to marrying, there may be grounds for getting a marriage annulled in Arizona. Such a marriage is voidable. A valid marriage requires contractual intent. An insane, mentally ill, or substantially mentally challenged individual may lack the legal capacity necessary to enter into a marriage contract. The person’s mental capacity at the time of the marriage is determinative, not the mental state before the marriage or mental state at some later date after the marriage.

  3. Temporary Insanity

    When temporary insanity is alleged as grounds for annulment, then the person’s mental state when the marriage took place is controlled. It is possible, however, that the person experienced a lucid interval during his or her temporary or periodic insanity. If lucid at the time, then the marriage should not be annulled because lucidity means, at least arguably, that the person had the requisite mental capacity necessary at the proper moment in order to marry.

  4. Fraud

    When one person was untruthful or intentionally misrepresented facts and information for the purpose of inducing, or tricking, the other party into marriage, then the marriage is voidable and may qualify for marriage annulment on grounds of fraud.

  5. Intoxication

    When someone was intoxicated, drugged, or under the influence at the time the marriage ceremony took place. And if the degree of intoxication rendered that individual unable to understand the meaning and consequences of entering into the marriage contract, then the marriage is voidable and may be annulled.

  6. Impotency, Inability to Consummate the Marriage

    With annulment on the grounds of impotency, the complaining party must prove that the other party was permanently and incurably impotent when the marriage took place. And that the condition was not discovered until after the marriage.

  7. Lacking Parental Consent to Underage Marriage

    Arizona has an age requirement for people who plan to enter into a marriage contract. A child under the age of 18 must have his or her parent’s or guardian’s consent in order to legally marry. For a child under age 16 to marry, approval of a Superior Court judge is also required. If an underage person obtained a marriage license without parental consent or court approval, then the marriage is voidable. A.R.S. § 25-102.

  8. Incestuous Marriage

    Incest is another ground in Arizona for annulment of a marriage. Arizona law prohibits marriage between parent and child; between grandparent and grandchild of every degree; between brother and sister of one-half or whole blood; between uncle and niece or between aunt and nephew; and between first cousins. (There is one exception, so talk to an attorney). Such marriages are void and prohibited by law. A.R.S. § 25-101.

  9. Bigamy

    A person commits bigamy by entering into another marriage before the earlier marriage is legally dissolved through divorce or terminated. In Arizona, a spouse can only be married to one person at a time. Furthermore, the person who has a living spouse and who knowingly marries another person is guilty of a class 5 felony. A.R.S. § 13-3606.

  10. Mock Marriage

    A mock marriage can occur when the parties never intended for the marriage to be binding on them, so legal intent to marry is absent. This so-called mock marriage is voidable. However, should their agreement to marry be done purposefully in order to carry out some specific agenda, the court may regard the union as a valid marriage. A valid marriage cannot be annulled.

  11. Other Impediments to Valid Marriage

    Lastly, the court may consider annulment of marriage based on other grounds, too, so long as those grounds constitute an impediment rendering the marriage void.  With the marriage annulled, each party is free to marry someone new without having to obtain a divorce. Be mindful that, with annulment, both parties forfeit any rights they enjoyed previously as married persons. Those include the right to community property (marital assets), the right of succession and to inherit from each other, and the right to spousal maintenance (similar to alimony in other jurisdictions).

» Civil Annulment, Not Religious Annulment

Annulment Lawyer Arizona Stewart Law GroupBefore continuing further, we should clarify exactly what kind of annulment we are talking about here. In this discussion, we are referring to the legal process of annulment in Arizona. That is, an Arizona civil case wherein a petition is filed with the court and a judge hears the claim, makes a determination, and issues orders.

We are not discussing religious annulment wherein a church tribunal may declare a marriage annulled so that one party can marry someone else in the Catholic Church or another. Consult with an experienced Arizona divorce lawyer in Phoenix with the Stewart Law Group about the requirements of a civil annulment. Communicate with your priest or pastor about the requirements of a religious annulment.

What Are 3 Common Misconceptions About Annulment in Arizona?

We need to dispel a few common misconceptions about what marriage annulment is in Arizona and what it is not, as discussed below.

1. Annulment Is Not a Quickie Divorce

First, the annulment process is not an expedited divorce in Arizona. There are similarities between divorce and marriage annulment proceedings. For instance, in an annulment case the court awards custody of the children and orders payment of child support just as in a divorce. The key distinction between divorce and annulment of marriage is that only divorce can terminate a valid marriage. Arizona annulment is not possible when the spouses have a valid marriage.

If the marriage wasn’t legal, why file a petition for annulment with the court? The marriage may already be a nullity and void, but the annulment process is necessary to establish, or declare, for the record that no marriage exists. Annulment makes this a matter of record and, just as importantly, gives the court jurisdiction over related issues (namely legal decision-making, parenting time, child support, and the division of property and debts). A petition for annulment will not be granted if the court determines that a valid marriage does indeed exist. Those spouses should contact a family lawyer near them about seeking legal separation or divorce.

2. Short or Long, Valid Marriages Are Not Annulled

Second, you may be asking how long you can be married and still get an annulment. A marriage of very short duration (two weeks or a month, for example) does not qualify that marriage for Arizona annulment proceedings. The dissolution of a valid marriage, even a very short one, must be accomplished through divorce proceedings. Many people are confused by this, so it is important to understand that the duration of a marriage is irrelevant to the analysis of whether the marriage is void or voidable.  Plainly stated, there is no “time limit” to file an annulment in Arizona. “Time” is not a requirement, the marriage must be invalid according to one of the criteria laid out above. Even a lengthy “marriage” of many years could be annulled. The question should always be: “Is the marriage valid?” When the answer is “No,” annulment is possible.

3. Common-Law Marriages

Annulment in Arizona Stewart Law Group

Third, Arizona law does not allow couples to enter into a common-law marriage in this state. (Only a minority of states allow common-law marriages, among them are Colorado, Utah, Texas, Montana, and Kansas.) Although a couple has cohabitated in Arizona for years while holding themselves out to be man and wife, they still are not legally married.

However, if the couple entered into a common-law marriage in a state where such marriages are legal (Texas, for instance) before relocating to Arizona, then they may be able to obtain a divorce in this state. The validity of the Texas common law marriage would have to be established first, before a divorce may be granted by the Arizona court. Best to consult an experienced Phoenix, Arizona, annulment attorney about such special circumstances.

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Want to Learn More About Annulments in Arizona? Contact Us Today!

When you need help with an annulment in Phoenix contact an annulment lawyer with Stewart Law Group near you. Do so today! There is no time limit to file an annulment – time is not a contributing criterion – so contacting us now means you’re closer to extracting yourself from an invalid marriage. Our attorneys experienced in handling Arizona marriage annulments are located in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Chandler, Glendale, Mesa, Tempe, Peoria & Gilbert. For more information call 602-548-3400, fill out our online contact form, or email your question to info@arizonalawgroup.com. We’ll respond quickly and discretely.