Annulment in Edgewood, MD

Legal help with annulment for Edgewood, Maryland residents from The Law Office of Thomas K. Mallon in Towson.

The Law Office of Thomas K. Mallon, LLC provides annulment assistance for people in Edgewood. The information below explains the issues to discuss with an attorney and connects you with the firm’s original Maryland service guide.

Working with our Towson office from Edgewood

Edgewood is in Harford County, Maryland. The Law Office of Thomas K. Mallon, LLC serves this area from 1107 Kenilworth Drive, Suite 305, Towson, MD 21204. This is the firm’s Towson office, not a separate office in this community.

Maryland law applies throughout the service area. Where a matter must be filed depends on the type of proceeding and the facts, not simply on the location of the attorney’s office. Discuss residence, existing orders, and any pending case at your consultation.

Read the Harford County service-area guide for the original local context.

An annulment declares that a valid marriage never existed. A divorce ends a marriage that did exist. People often ask for the first when what they need is the second, usually because the marriage was short or they feel misled. Maryland courts grant annulments sparingly, and the grounds are narrow.

Void and voidable

Maryland divides invalid marriages into two categories, and the difference decides who can act and when.

Void marriages

These are invalid from the beginning and treated as though they never happened. The two situations are:

One party was already married to someone else
The parties are related within the degrees Maryland prohibits

Because the marriage was never valid, anyone with an interest can ask a court to declare it so, at any time. A decree is still worth obtaining, because it puts the status beyond argument.

Voidable marriages

These are valid unless and until a court says otherwise, and only the party who was wronged can ask. The grounds include consent obtained by fraud, duress, undue influence or abduction, and a lack of the mental capacity to understand the marriage contract.

There is an important limit. If the couple continues to live together after the reason has ceased to exist, for example after the deceived spouse learns the truth, annulment is generally no longer available. Continuing the marriage with knowledge ratifies it.

Timing and proof

An annulment action should be brought within a reasonable time after the grounds become known. And the burden is higher than in an ordinary civil case: the evidence must be clear and satisfactory. Between the narrow grounds, the timing requirement and the standard of proof, most people who ask about annulment end up proceeding by absolute divorce, which since October 2023 no longer requires proving fault.

What fraud means here

Not every deception is enough. The misrepresentation generally has to go to the essence of the marriage relationship itself. Disappointment about character, finances or intentions, however real, is usually not the kind of fraud that voids a marriage.

Children are not affected

An annulment does not make children of the marriage illegitimate, and it does not disturb their status. Custody, access and support are decided on the same standards as in any other case. See custody factors and child support.

Property and support

A court granting an annulment can address property rights, order child support, and award alimony. It is not a proceeding without financial consequences.

Religious annulment is a separate thing

A religious annulment granted by a church tribunal has no effect on marital status under Maryland law, and a civil annulment has no effect within a religious body. People sometimes need both, and they are obtained separately.

Official resources

Talk with a Towson attorney

The Law Office of Thomas K. Mallon, LLC offers a free consultation. Call (410) 847-9075 or request a consultation online. The office is at 1107 Kenilworth Drive, Suite 305, Towson, MD 21204.

This page provides general information about Maryland law. It is not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Maryland law changes, and how it applies depends on the facts of your situation.

Annulment resources

Read the full Maryland annulment guide. Bring relevant agreements, court papers, financial records, and a list of questions that relate to your situation. If you have received papers with a deadline, tell the office when you contact us.

Other services in Edgewood

Discuss your situation

or call (410) 847-9075. Advice about your particular matter requires a consultation. Reading this page does not create an attorney-client relationship.

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