Dissolution of marriage and annulment are distinct legal processes for ending a marital union. A dissolution, commonly referred to as divorce, acknowledges that a valid marriage existed but is now irretrievably broken. It terminates a legally recognized union, addressing issues such as property division, spousal support, and child custody if applicable. An example would be a couple who were legally married for several years but now seek to end the relationship due to irreconcilable differences.
In contrast, annulment is a declaration by a court that a valid marriage never existed. It treats the marriage as if it did not occur, essentially erasing it from the legal record. The grant of an annulment is predicated on specific grounds, such as fraud, duress, bigamy, or lack of capacity to consent at the time of the marriage. An annulment can have significant implications regarding property rights and inheritance, differentiating it from a divorce. Historically, annulments were more common when divorce was socially unacceptable or legally restricted.
