1. WHAT'S THE LEGAL DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN ANNULMENT AND
DIVORCE?
Louise Banks - Sep 2008
START

2. An ANNULMENT is a legal procedure which
cancels a marriage between a man and a
woman. Annulling a marriage is as though it is
completely erased - legally, it declares that the
marriage never technically existed and was
never valid.

3. A DIVORCE, or legal dissolution of a
marriage, is the ending of a valid
marriage between a man and a woman
returning both parties to single status
with the ability to remarry.

4. REASONS FOR ANNULMENT
Bigamy - either party was already
married to another person at the time of
the marriage

5. REASONS FOR ANNULMENT
Forced Consent - one of the spouses
was forced or threatened into
marriage and only entered into it
under duress

6. REASONS FOR ANNULMENT
Fraud - one of the spouses agreed to
the marriage based on the lies or
misrepresentation of the other

7. REASONS FOR ANNULMENT
Marriage Prohibited By Law marriage between parties that based
on their familial relationship is
considered incestuous

8. REASONS FOR ANNULMENT
Mental Illness - either spouse was
mentally ill or emotionally disturbed
at the time of the marriage

9. REASONS FOR ANNULMENT
Mental Incapacity - either spouse was
under the influence of alcohol or
drugs at the time of the marriage and
was unable to make informed
consent

10. REASONS FOR ANNULMENT
Inability to Consummate Marriage either spouse was physically
incapable of having sexual relations
or impotent during the marriage

11. REASONS FOR ANNULMENT
Underage Marriage - either spouse
was too young to enter into marriage
without parental consent or court
approval

12. HOW ABOUT DIVORCE?

13. REASONS FOR DIVORCE
Adultery - one or both spouses
engages in extramarital relationships
with others during the marriage

14. REASONS FOR DIVORCE
Desertion - one spouse abandons the
other, physically and emotionally, for
a lengthy period of time

15. REASONS FOR DIVORCE
Physical/Emotional Abuse - one
spouse subjects the other to physical
or violent attacks or emotional or
psychological abuse such as abusive
language, and threats of physical
violence