What Is A Civil Annulment?

A: Though both serve to dissolve a marriage, an annulment is a different legal procedure than a divorce. In an annulment, a judge declares a marriage void, almost as if it had never existed. Annulments are rare in Washington State, and couples cannot get their marriage annulled without meeting specific requirements. Annulments may take place if the marriage took place because of misrepresentation; if the marriage was never consummated; if the marriage was based on a misunderstanding; or if a spouse concealed important information before the marriage. Most annulments take place less than a year after the marriage.  While annulments void marriages, children of the marriages are not considered illegitimate.