Winter Park Annulment Attorney
Our Winter Park Family Law Attorney Can Help Annul Your Marriage
When their relationship comes to an end, some couples may have the option to officially end it through the annulment process in Florida. Many times, the marriage will have been short-term, but the duration doesn’t make your situation any easier. The laws on annulment are complicated and you must meet strict eligibility rules, so – in many ways – the proceedings are much more complex than the traditional divorce process.
At The Troum Law Firm, P.A., our lawyers have been assisting clients in Orange and Seminole Counties for more than 30 years in a wide range of family law matters, including annulments. Please contact our office to discuss your situation with an experienced Winter Park annulment attorney today.
Overview of Florida’s Annulment of Marriage Laws
An annulment is a legal concept that, in laymen’s terms, means the marriage never occurred from the start. It’s different from divorce, which involves a marriage that the law considers being legally valid at one time. In the context of contract law, parties to a dissolution of marriage break the contract and the marriage comes to an end. With an annulment, there was never a legal contract regarding the marriage.
There is no statute in Florida governing annulment, so the foundation of the process, eligibility, and other factors falls under common law of contract. You and the other party may qualify for an annulment if:
- One of you suffers from a mental condition;
- There was fraud, threats, or deception involved before the marriage;
- Either of you is under 18 years old;
- Your marriage is bigamous, where one of you was legally married to another person;
- One party lacked the ability to consent to the marriage due to being intoxicated or under the influence of drugs;
- You’re too closely related as blood relatives; or,
- Either of you has a medical condition making it impossible to consummate the marriage.
Your Rights in Annulment
Though annulment makes the marriage void, you may confront many of the same issues you would when going through divorce. If you’ve commingled assets, some of the provisions of Florida’s Dissolution of Marriage statute apply. You and the other party can make an agreement on how to divide property you’ve acquired together, but a judge will make a determination if you cannot reach a compromise.
In addition, laws regarding care and support of minor children will always apply – whether you’re divorcing, annulling a marriage, or were never married. Through annulment, a judge will enter an order on co-parenting plans, custody, visitation, and support. It’s possible for parents to agree on these issues, but the court will carefully scrutinize the agreement to ensure it complies with the factors of the child’s best interests standard.
Discuss Your Circumstances with a Winter Park Annulment Attorney
For more information on eligibility and the process for obtaining an annulment, please contact The Troum Law Firm, P.A. We can schedule a consultation and then provide details on legal options for voiding your marriage. You can reach our firm to set up an appointment by calling 321-428-2247 or visiting us online.
