Orange County Annulment Attorneys

Some marriages were simply not meant to be. It can be extremely difficult to recognize and acknowledge that your recent marriage was a mistake, but relatively straightforward legal remedies are available under a range of circumstances. At The Law Offices of Burch, Coulston & Shepard, LLP, our Newport Beach family lawyers have experience helping clients obtain annulments, and you can turn to us for informed legal counsel in this difficult time.

California Law Recognizes Numerous Valid Reasons For Annulment

In essence, an annulment is a court declaration that a marriage was not legally valid. Making a successful case for an annulment erases the marriage from the public record as if it never took place — an outcome decidedly different from that of divorce.

In California, valid legal reasons for annulment include:

• Bigamy — when one of the parties was already legally married or in a lawful domestic partnership.
• Permanent, incurable inability to consummate the relationship.
• Marriage involving a minor under 18 years of age.
• Various forms of fraud and deception, as when one party marries only to gain legal immigrant status or lies about a known inability to have children.
• Marriage by force or coercion.
• "Unsound mind" at the time of the marriage on the part of the party filing for annulment — which may include extreme intoxication or other temporary or fundamental mental incompetence.

Comprehensive Counsel And Representation By A Skilled, Efficient Lawyer

An attorney at our firm can carefully evaluate whether you may qualify for an annulment ("nullity" of a marriage) under California law and also explain other viable legal options. Acting promptly can be important, since statutes of limitations on annulment exist for many relatively common circumstances.

In addition, our lawyers offer extensive knowledge of many other aspects of California family law and civil law, which means we can assist you in actions you can take if your annulment filing is successful. Examples include dividing property and debt or filing to establish parentage if you have children from an annulled "marriage."

We treat our clients with respect and understanding, and we are dedicated to finding the best legal path for accomplishing your goals.

Whatever the reason you are seeking an Orange County annulment lawyer, we encourage you to contact us for dependable counsel by calling (949) 565-4158.