Since 2004, the Law Offices of Sandy T. Fox, P.A. has been providing individuals throughout South Florida with legal advice and representation in divorce alternatives and related matters. We are dedicated to providing personalized legal services to our clients, and we have a strong reputation in the local and legal communities for our ability in the courtroom and at the negotiating table. If a conventional divorce arrangement is not the right path for you to follow, we can help you pursue other options. In some cases, an annulment may offer a suitable option for a couple whose relationship has broken down.
How to Seek an AnnulmentAnnulment is an alternative to divorce in which a court concludes that a marriage is invalid. In a divorce, the court has to find that the marriage is “irretrievably broken.” In an annulment, the court determines that the marriage never legally existed. The right to annulment in Florida is not codified in a particular statute. Instead, it is a matter of common law that has been developed by state courts over the years.
To be eligible for an annulment, a spouse or couple must show that something prevented one or both of them from entering a legally valid marriage. For example, courts sometimes have invalidated marriages based on the mental incapacity or physical infirmity of a spouse. In these cases, a court may find that the spouse lacked the requisite capacity to enter the legal contract of marriage in the first place. Similarly, courts are likely to grant annulments if one of the spouses was already married, if one of the spouses was a minor at the time, or if one of the spouses agreed to the marriage as a result of force, duress, or fraud. The party seeking an annulment, however, cannot do so if he or she was aware that any of these grounds existed at the time of the marriage.
Seasoned Family Law Representation in MiamiFirm founder Sandy T. Fox is a Florida Bar Board Certified specialist in Marital & Family Law, a designation earned by only a small group of attorneys throughout the state. Mr. Fox utilizes his expertise to provide clients with comprehensive representation services. That includes relying on negotiation when appropriate in order to save clients the time and expense of litigation, but representing them skillfully in court when needed.
If you are contemplating pursuing a divorce under Florida law, or an alternative such as an annulment, you should consider contacting the Law Offices of Sandy T. Fox, P.A. Our family law attorneys serve clients in Miami, Aventura, and other nearby communities. We understand the uncertainty and stress that often accompany annulment and divorce proceedings. We help clients through these trying times by examining all of their legal options and seeking to reach a satisfactory outcome while minimizing the bitterness and acrimony as much as we can. In fact, we have found that many family law issues, even those that initially seem intractable, can be resolved through negotiated settlements or mediation when handled by a qualified lawyer. Contact us through our online form, or call 800.596.0579 to schedule a confidential consultation.