Where do I apply for church annulment?

You really have 4 options. Almost every diocese in the United States has a tribunal – which is a church court – that accepts annulment applications.

You can apply to the tribunal in the diocese:

1. Where you were married
2. Where your ex-spouse now lives
3. Where you now live [for this option your ex-spouse must live in the United States]
4. The diocese where the “majority” of the case testimonies will be coming from – yours, your ex-spouse' and 3 to 5 witnesses [for this option your ex-spouse must live in the United States]

Most people choose to apply to either option 1, 2 or 3.

I suggest going online to look at the tribunal's application papers to decide which option is best for you. If the tribunal does not have its annulment application online, you can call the marriage tribunal and ask them to send you the paperwork.

Once you see what the individual tribunals are asking for up front YOU are in a better position to make a choice.

What if my ex-spouse was abusive?

Judy asks the question:

Does the church make any exception if the petitioner was in an abusive marriage? The ex-spouse has been "dormant" and there is a desire to "let sleeping dogs lie."
Thanks.
Dear Judy:

ANSWER:
Yes, your ex-spouse does need to be contacted. If he isn't, the case could be declared invalid because the rights of the ex-spouse were not protected. I understand about "letting sleeping dogs lie" - however, I have met many petitioner’s who felt the way you did, and in the end, there were no negative repercussions in contacting the ex-spouse.

You do not have to contact the ex-spouse- you simply have to provide an address for the ex-spouse to be contacted. The Tribunal does the contacting.

I know of two tribunals who decided to 'make exceptions' and wave the rights of the respondent and did not contact him (in both cases the ex-spouse was the husband). They made the exception because of the petitioner’s continued fear of her ex-husband and any reprisals he might make. So – the Tribunal, wanting to make it the situation less fearful for the petitioner, decided to assign a guardian to represent the ex-spouse throughout the process - and never contacted the ex-spouse.

The petitioner felt quite relieved - however, in the end, the Appeals Court overturned the affirmative decision of the first court because they stated that the rights of the ex-spouse had been denied.

The case then went to Rome and Rome agreed with the Appeal Court. So, in the long run, it only turned out worse for the petitioner.

I hope this explanation helps.