ABA Family Legal Guide

Family Law

3.4 Separation, Annulment, and Divorce

Annulment

How common are annulments?

They are uncommon because divorces are easy to obtain and the bases for an annulment are narrower than the bases for a divorce. One party may prefer an annulment, however, in order to avoid some obligations that a court might impose in a divorce. Also, in a few states, spousal support that terminated because of the recipient's second marriage may be reinstated if the second marriage is annulled.