CATHOLIC CHURCH ANNULMENT – A REALITY CHECK
MARRIAGE ANNULMENT PROCESS TIMELINE
1. Introduction stage – During this stage the tribunal officials determine the nature of the case, competence and whether the case has merit. This can take approximately two to three months.
2. Collection of testimonies - Petitioner, respondent and witnesses are all contacted. Sometimes expert witnesses may be contacted. This stage can also take between two – four months.
3. Publication of the Acts - If neither of the parties have anything else to add, or their time to do so has expired, then the collection of proofs is considered concluded. The petitioner, respondent, and their advocates, at this time, are permitted, if they so wish, to inspect at the tribunal offices the acts of the case. If either party wishes to propose new proofs they may do so at this time. Also, the advocates, and the defender of the bond present legal arguments to the judge. Traditionally, these arguments are in the form of written legal briefs. This stage can take from one to three months.
4. The Decision of the Judge (s) - The judge then renders a decision by means of a judicial sentence. The sentence consists of the basic facts of the case, the law and jurisprudence upon which the case is decided, and the argument, which argues the facts of the case in light of the law. Once the sentence is issued by the judge the “publication of the sentence” occurs. This stage can take approximately one month.
5. The appeal process. All affirmative judgments in the Court of First Instance are forwarded or appealed to the next tribunal level, the Court of Second Instance. This stage can take anywhere between two-six months.
If the sentence of the First Instance Court is confirmed by the Judges of the Second Instance court, then the decision is usually final.
For more thorough explanation of process see “Annulment: The Wedding That Was” by Michael Foster, available at Amazon.
If you are considering saving a marriage and you feel there is some hope in salvaging your relationship, then there are a number of resources that can guide you in the process.