Like a “void” marriage, a “voidable” marriage is grounds for an annulment. However, not all voidable marriages are annulled—and they don’t need to be. Essentially, a voidable marriage is valid until one of the parties successfully petitions to have it declared void. A marriage is voidable if it violated a public policy when it was […]
What is Divorce?
Divorce, the legal dissolution of a marriage, has evolved over the past century from a relatively rare, cause-based legal step to the no-fault route of today that is becoming increasingly more the norm. Despite how common it is, however, those contemplating their first divorce may feel overwhelmed by the process, the terminology, the timeline, and the many considerations to take into account along the way. Learning about divorce, beyond the simple definition everyone knows, is the first step toward dissolving your marriage as successfully as possible.
Annulment: Marriage was void
A “void” marriage is probably the easiest kind to end, as states generally don’t require any court action for it to be terminated. A marriage is considered void if it ran counter to strong public policy issues, as in the case of incest or intentional bigamy. In those cases, the parties don’t need an annulment […]
Annulment: Erase the marriage instead of ending it?
Annulment, in many ways, has a similar effect to divorce—it makes a married couple unmarried. At the same time, it’s approach is completely different. While a divorce ends a marriage, an annulment says the marriage never existed. To be annulled, a marriage generally must be shown to be either void or voidable. Most states have […]
Separation: A precursor or an alternative to divorce
For most people, separation is an early step toward a divorce. For many, it’s the step they take while considering whether to divorce. For some, it is an alternative to divorce. Separation is, essentially, when one spouse officially moves out. Sometimes it is only based on mutual agreement; sometimes there is a judicial decree involved […]
Divorce trivia
— Linda Wolfe holds the world record for the Most Married Woman, after marrying 23 times and divorcing almost as many. Her last husband was Glynn Wolfe, who married her to become the world’s Most Married Man (29 times) and died a year later. — Perhaps unsurprisingly, Nevada is the state with the highest rates of marriage […]