How to File for an Annulment in Louisiana
Many people associate divorce and annulment together; the two concepts, however, are very different. In Louisiana (as in other states), a divorce terminates a legal marriage; this means that a divorce action recognizes that a marriage was valid. An annulment, on the other hand, ends a void marriage; it essentially states that the marriage never happened. For this reason, you must have specific grounds to receive an annulment. If grounds exist, you can file a petition to annul the marriage in the court where you solemnized the union.
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Instructions
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Determine if you have grounds to annul the marriage. In Louisiana, only specific grounds give rise to an action to annul the marriage. Fraud, inability to consummate the marriage, addiction to drugs, or mental disability qualify as grounds to annul the marriage .
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Draft a document explaining the grounds for the annulment and listing the details about your marriage (such as your spouse's name, how long you have been married, and when you first discovered the grounds for the marriage).
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Visit the court in the county where you solemnized your marriage. Ask the court clerk to provide you with a cover letter for a petition to annul a marriage. Fill out the form's information on the property blanks (such as spouse's name, address and your contact information). File this form along with your final explanation with the clerk.
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Pay the filing fee. Initiating an annulment action is a civil proceeding in Louisiana. As such, you will need to pay the filing fee for a "new suit." As of 2010, the fee was $140.
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Tips & Warnings
Filing for an annulment in Louisiana requires you to draft legal documents and to understand the court rules and laws about family law proceedings. It is strongly recommended that you speak with an attorney specializing in family law prior to proceeding on your own.
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- Photo Credit marriage image by Sonar from Fotolia.com
