You and your spouse haven’t been married long. It’s only been a few weeks. You were shocked that in that short period of time, you discovered that they were already cheating and may actually be married to another person.
You would prefer not to go through a divorce, but you’re not sure if there are other alternatives. Would something like an annulment work for you?
An annulment only works for someone if you can show that your marriage should not be valid. If you can, for example, show that your spouse was already married when you married them, then your marriage could be annulled on those grounds.
If you decide to go through an annulment, you should understand that it will mean that your marriage never legally existed. It’s like getting a completely clean slate.
What happens when you seek an annulment?
When you seek out an annulment, the first thing that happens is that you file paperwork with an appropriate court. You need to choose one that has jurisdiction, which is something your attorney can help you with, especially if there are multiple courts that might have jurisdiction over the case.
Once you file the paperwork for an annulment, you will need to serve the paperwork to your spouse. If you cannot serve them, there are services that can do so for you. You’ll then wait for their response.
Our site has more on annulments and what you can expect if you apply for one. This may be a hard time in your life, but with good help, you’ll get through it.
