Regret Getting Married? What To Do

If you have deep regrets after getting married, you might be able to do something about it. Read on to find out if you can back out of your relationship quickly and quietly by having your marriage annulled. 

What Is an Annulment?

Though some might assume that an annulment is just a form of quickie divorce, it is a bit less than that. An annulment is more like making the act disappear completely. The thought behind an annulment is that the so-called wedding did not meet the requirements for a legal marriage. Therefore, it is now null and void. It's not that simple to have an annulment, though. The circumstances must fit before a marriage is annulled.

What Is a Legal Marriage?

If you are hoping to save some time and money and get an annulment, it should meet the requirements of the state where everything happened. Although each state has its own unique take on the laws about legal marriage, most of them follow the below guidelines.

Consummation

This is probably the most well-known requirement because it's very clear but can be difficult to prove. However, if you both agree that you never had sexual intercourse after the date of the marriage, it can be annulled on lack of consummation. 

Age Issues

You should both be of a legal age to marry and that can vary from state to state.

Incest

An annulment, along with a lot more help and support, could help someone who has married a relative. Some states are okay with cousins being married but not with blood relationships that are closer than that.

Bigamy

This is an unfortunately common reason many get their marriages annulled. You cannot legally marry someone that is already legally married to someone else. By the way, those who marry a person already married to someone else are not guilty of bigamy if they did not know about the previous and current marriage.

Force

You might be surprised at the instances of people being forced to marry. Even worse, it's often the parents of one of the parties who are doing the forcing. This type of marriage is not legal and may be annulled.

Fraud

This covers instances of being tricked into marriage by someone who misrepresents themselves in some manner. For example, they might claim to be a wealthy prince or a famous actress who tricks someone into marriage.

Incapacity 

You must be of sound mind when you marry and that includes being sober. This also covers those with physical and mental conditions that make them unable to make decisions on their own.

You may need legal help if you need to pursue an annulment. Speak to a family law attorney to find out more.


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