There are two legal ways to end your marriage in the U.S. you can get a divorce or an annulment. Divorce is the civil legal dissolution of a marriage. Annulment is a civil action where your marriage is declared legally invalid, as if it never existed at all.
In both cases the husband or wife can initiate the process, but with an annulment the initiating party must prove that he or she has the grounds to do so. Some examples of grounds for annulment are: bigamy, forced consent, fraud, prohibited by law (incestuous or consanguinity), mental illness, mental incapacity, incapable of consummation or undisclosed impotency, under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or one or both of the parties was under age at the time of marriage. States differ in what they consider legally marriageable ages, so you will need to check your own state’s laws.
In either case, divorce or annulment, you will still be required to address property division (assets and debts), spousal support and child custody. Divorce no longer carries the stigma it once did, and the no-fault divorce has made it easier than ever to get divorced. While an annulment implies wrongdoing of some kind, it is required in some circumstances, such as when someone’s faith does not allow divorce.
Laws and rules do vary from state to state concerning divorce and annulment. Researching your state’s laws and grounds before filing will help determine which path is best for you.
