If you believe that you may qualify for an annulment, you must read this blog and speak with our experienced Bergen County divorce attorneys to learn more about annulments, whether you can receive one, and what the benefits are to traditional divorce. Here are some of the questions you may have:
What is the difference between an annulment and a divorce?
The primary difference between an annulment and a divorce is that annulment does not involve traditional divorce matters, such as alimony, child support, and more, and essentially makes it as if your relationship never happened. Additionally, certain religions do not recognize divorce, in which case you may have your marriage annulled, thereby making it acceptable on religious grounds as well.
What are some grounds for annulment in New Jersey?
There are various circumstances that may call for an annulment in New Jersey. They are as follows:
- When one person is under the age of 18 and gets married, that marriage may be terminated at a later date.
- If one partner was intoxicated at the time of marriage, or otherwise was not mentally or physically capable of understanding what they were doing at the time of marriage, this may also be a valid reason for an annulment.
- When a couple gets married and there was some sort of fraud or misrepresentation involved, or one spouse withheld certain information that may have prevented one spouse from ever getting married, an annulment may be warranted. For example, if one spouse was pregnant by another man, and did not tell the other spouse, it may constitute an annulment.
- Bigamy is another common reason for annulments in New Jersey. Bigamy is when one spouse has a living spouse at the time of marriage. This inherently renders the marriage illegal in the US. That being said, if both spouses knew that one spouse was legally married at the time of their marriage, they may not be granted an annulment, as this is considered a federal crime in the United State.
- Incest is also a valid reason for an annulment.
- If one spouse forced or threatened the other spouse to marry, this will also qualify for an annulment.
- You may also request an annulment if you learned that your spouse was dishonest about his or her fertility.
Contact our experienced Bergen County firm
At Townsend, Tomaio & Newmark, our attorneys have extensive experience helping clients to understand and protect their legal rights before, during, and after the divorce process in towns across New Jersey and Bergen County, including Hackensack, Ridgewood, Paramus, Teaneck, and Fort Lee. To speak with our team of divorce lawyers today in a free and confidential consultation regarding your concerns about your divorce, please contact us online, or through our Hackensack, NJ office at (201) 397-1750.
