You thought you’ve found your perfect match. You thought your marriage is bound to last forever, or, at the very least, until the last breath. You’ve thought wrong, you say, and you now think of seeking legal remedy to end your marriage. Here are “steps” or suggestions in deciding whether to step out of the ring or not (for the court procedure, see Procedure in Annulment of Marriage and Declaration of Nullity of Marriage):
1. Make sure it is the last resort. As stated in a previous post, love and marriage are supposed to be forever. Try all options, like counseling, to make it work. If there’s no progress, weigh your options. On the other side of the scale is the reality that getting into another relationship or marriage, while the first marital bond is still existing, is a sure way of courting criminal liability (adultery, concubinage, bigamy). A subsequent petition for declaration of nullity/annulment of marriage is not a defense in the criminal action.
2. Realize that it will cost you. Getting out of marriage is sometimes more expensive than getting into one. Expenses include the fees for your lawyer or counsel, filing fees, professional fees for the psychiatrist or psychologist (if the ground is psychological incapacity), etc.
3. Discuss the custody of children, visitation rights, property arrangements and support. Custody over children and separation of properties in annulment are among the most bitter issues in annulment. As much as possible, discuss and agree on these matters beforehand.
4. Make sure to invoke a valid ground. Marriage is an inviolable social institution and any doubt is resolved in its favor. Hence, make sure there’s sufficient basis to go through the procedure discussed below.
5. Prescriptive period. Make sure that the petition is filed within the time provided under the law. There are separate rules for counting of the prescriptive period for each ground. [See Prescriptive Periods for Annulment of Marriage]
The procedure is provided under the Rules on Declaration of Absolute Nullity of Void Marriages and Annulment of Voidable Marriages. [See Procedure in Annulment of Marriage and Declaration of Nullity of Marriage]
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Atty. what is the very first steps to file an annullment (like documents).im here in abroad and she is in the Philippines
Hello po. May mga cases ba attorney na hindi nagragrant ang petition for annulment?
Atty ask ko lang po paano kung fixed marriage lang po ung nangyari dhil gusto ng nanay ko na mgjapan ako…pwede po bang matawag na null or void ung kasal ko?
how do i nullify bigamous marriage? can i seek help from Rtc public atty office?
Hi attny, ask ko lang kasi void ang merriage ko. Kahit hindi pa lumalabas ang decision ng court pwede na ako ba mag pakasal ulit?
Need help to answer this….yung brother ko po Nsa abroad ng file ng nullity of marriage ung dati nya asawa.. For 15 yrs wla cla communication. Nrecieve nmin ung summon at petition…pnu po gagawin nmin nsa cebu po nka file ung case sa Manila kmi nkatira. Wala po clang anak at property.. No objection nman po brother ko… Sana po msagot Salazar…
hi po atty, kmusta po?magtatanong lng po sana ako kc po meron po akong ex ,nagkaroon kme ng anak pro may anak n sya s asawa nya. nakapagpadala ako nun nanganak un ex ko at isang beses after nun ay hindi n nasundan dahil mababa ang aking sahod tpos nawalan ako ng trabaho at nagbbyad ako ng utang dat tme.pro ngyon po ay willing n ako magpdla ng sustento sa bata pro nagkaroon kme ng kasunduan nun ex ko na magppdla ako ng sustento kapalit ng pagbura ng mga litrato ko sa lahat (meaning mapa social media or usb etc).pumayag nman po un ex ko ilan beses ko syang kinulit pra burahin dahil nalalapit n aking pagpapadala pro andun p din un mga pics,ano pong dapat kong gwin atty kpag di nya tinupad un agreement nmin ?
Gudeve Atty,
Ask ko lng po kung ilang months po ba mag aantay pra sa decision na galing ng court na anulled na ang marriage?
Hello po,
Kasal po ako.sa isang filipina na naging canadian citizen nag pakasal kami nung 2013 hindi nag work long distance ang relationship namin ever since na naging mag bf/gf kami social media lanh tapos nag file sya ng divorce nung 2015 e gusto ko po sana i file dito sa pinas yung divorce paper na pinile nya para kung sakali makapag pakasal na ulit ako …
Hello, good day! Im an OFW, now in Dubai. Saan po kaya ako pwedeng mag file ng Petion for the declaration of Absolute Nullity of Marriage? Thank you