Annulment Versus Divorce
Three days after your wedding, it happens: You realize you’ve made a HUGE mistake. No worries, though, you can just get an annulment, right? In North Carolina, maybe not! Unless you fall into a few very specific categories, you are going to have to get a divorce instead.
What is an annulment? How is it different than a divorce?
Divorce ends a valid marriage, whereas an annulment is a court order declaring your marriage invalid. As far as the court is concerned, since your marriage was void or voidable (wasn’t legal when it happened), once you get an annulment, you were never technically legally married at all. To get divorced in NC, you have to have been separated for a year, but you can file for an annulment at any time.
Who qualifies for an annulment?
Only people in certain narrow categories qualify for an annulment:
- Incest: If you and