Due to some popular misconceptions surrounding annulment, it can be hard to know just what exactly qualifies as grounds for annulment in Virginia. Once you know the guidelines you can decide whether your marriage can be annulled or whether you should seek a Virginia divorce instead.
The grounds for annulment in Virginia are:
- Marital defect. This is when the marriage was not legal to begin with for whatever reason. For example, if one of the partners was still married to someone else at the time.
- Fraud. This is when the marriage is a sham designed for monetary gain or another dishonest reason; and
- Failure to inform the other of an important piece of information. This is usually information that is likely to have an effect on the marriage.
The following are NOT grounds for annulment:
- you’ve ceased to be attracted to your spouse;
- you changed your mind about the marriage; and
- your partner decides he or she no longer wants to live with you, or moves to a different state.
The question of whether you are eligible for annulment or if you should seek a Virginia divorce is best answered by an attorney. You don’t want to waste your time pursuing a course of law that is not applicable to your situation.
Contacting a Virginia Divorce Attorney
The decision to file for divorce usually comes at the end of a long and painful journey. In addition to the emotional turmoil involved, there’s also a lot of fear and uncertainty about what the future holds. Concerns about children, mortgages, and even just paying the bills or buying groceries can easily become overwhelming.
A Virginia divorce attorney at Hofheimer Family Law Firm can examine the specifics of your case to help you decide how much support to ask for, what child custody arrangement will work best for you and your children, and how to fairly divide your marital assets. Request a FREE copy of our divorce book for women in Virginia, or reserve your seat at our monthly divorce seminar – 757-425-5200.