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An annulment is different from a divorce in a number of ways. While a divorce puts an end to a couple’s legal union, an annulment declares that the marriage was null and void in the first place, and therefor never actually happened, legally. Unlike a divorce, an annulment is retroactive, effectively undoing however many days or months of invalid marriage a couple has already been through. Typically, instead of splitting up property as in divorce proceedings, and annulment simply returns everything to the state (and owner) it was in before the marriage. This is more complicated than simply getting a divorce, however, and annulments are not granted in all cases.

There are a number of reasons a court may grant an annulment. If both spouses were closely related, for example, the marriage would be declared invalid from the beginning. Similarly, if it was found that one or both spouses were mentally unfit to enter into a union at the time of the marriage, or if one spouse is found to have concealed important facts from the other.

It is important to understand all of the differences between an annulment and a divorce if you are considering getting one, as qualifying for one is usually harder to do than simply getting a divorce. In some cases, it is equally important to have competent representation in court to ensure that your annulment goes through. There are a lot more requirements to be fulfilled for a successful annulment than there are for a divorce, and help is sometimes needed. If you need legal advice on a potential annulment in the city of Sacramento, I would advise that you contact a Sacramento annulment lawyer as soon as possible.