Annulment of Marriage in Louisiana

A brief guide to annulment of marriage in Louisiana

Whether for religious reasons or because of other concerns, some people who wish to separate from their spouse may not wish to obtain a formal divorce. In such cases, annulments of marriage in Louisiana may be a possible alternative. This kind of legal procedure ends a marriage by stating that it was never valid.

It is important to note that an annulment of marriage in Louisiana which is obtained through the Catholic Church is not legally binding. While this will be helpful for people who do not wish to violate their religious beliefs, it will not be taken into consideration by the law, which will consider you to still be married. In order to qualify for annulments of marriage in Louisiana in the court system, one of the following must be true:

• A person was married to someone committed fraud or misrepresented any important detail about themselves

• If you marry someone who is unable to physically consummate the marriage, this is grounds for an annulment of marriage in Louisiana

• If you marry a person who becomes addicted to drugs or narcotics, you may attempt this process

• If you marry someone who is discovered to be mentally ill or becomes so at a later date, you are eligible for annulments of marriage in Louisiana

If you do not meet any of these conditions, this will not be an option for you. In such instances, you may wish to consider a legal separation as an alternative to obtaining an annulment of marriage in Louisiana. Under this process, you and your spouse will create a legal separation agreement detailing the same issues which would be considered in a divorce, such as the division of jointly owned property. Unlike successfully obtained annulments of marriage in Louisiana, this will not legally end your marriage. However, it will allow you and your spouse to live apart without violating your religious beliefs.

The process of obtaining an annulment of marriage in Louisiana is much the same as obtaining a divorce. A petition must be submitted to the appropriate court in your area detailing your complaint. In order for annulments of marriage in Louisiana to proceed through the court system, this document must not only explain the reason you are undertaking this process but when you first realized you were in an illegitimate marriage.

Your spouse must be served with a copy of this complaint before annulments of marriage of Louisiana can proceed through the court system. Unlike divorces, there is no way to expedite this process. Even if both spouses are actively pursuing an annulment of marriage in Louisiana, they will still need to appear in court.

It may be possible to complete this process without paying for legal representation. However, proving fraud, drug addiction or any other basis for annulments of marriage in Louisiana can be difficult. In order to assemble the strongest possible case against a partner who disputes your allegations, you may benefit from a lawyer's advice.