What's better? An annulment or a divorce?
By Bella
@Bella128 (2471)
United States
October 5, 2016 3:57pm CST
Well, both aren't really a "good" thing but what do you think is better? An annulment or a divorce?
I'm divorced and I wonder if maybe an annulment would have been better given the fact that I was rather young and the marriage was short. On the other hand I believe that an annulment tries to make it seem that the marriage and relationship never happened which is something I have a hard time comprehending.
Have you ever gotten an annulment? I would love to hear your thoughts on the matter since I'm divorced. I must say sometimes saying that I'm divorced just makes me depressed.
1 person likes this
4 responses
@Mike197602 (15504)
• United Kingdom
5 Oct 16
annulment is different from divorce.
divorce is the legal dissolution of a valid marriage whereas annulment actually means a marriage never existed.
Annulment doesn't make it seem the relationship never happened, it makes the marriage as if it never happened.
1 person likes this
@Bella128 (2471)
• United States
5 Oct 16
I see what you're saying and I do understand the legality of it, but to me personally because of the legal jargon in my mind it makes me think that it's this magical thing that makes it so the relationship never happened! I think that might make me sound a little bit crazy but that's just how I view it. I just really have a hard time comprehending the fact that there is something available to make it so the marriage "never happened". Do you understand what I'm saying? I guess it's hard for me to really explain.
1 person likes this
@Mike197602 (15504)
• United Kingdom
5 Oct 16
@Bellatricks I get what you're saying absolutely...I think
In my opinion what I think you need to separate is the legal definition of marriage/annulment and the relationship behind those legal terms.
Anyone that gets a divorce or an annulment has had a relationship.
A relationship is not a legal term it's a mental thing...so whatever the legal issue the essential mental relationship has existed.
In my opinion what I think you need to separate is the legal definition of marriage/annulment and the relationship behind those legal terms.
Anyone that gets a divorce or an annulment has had a relationship.
A relationship is not a legal term it's a mental thing...so whatever the legal issue the essential mental relationship has existed.
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
17 Oct 16
well my divorce isnt final, but it was filed. -shrugs- I am just going to say I am single and have been married before. If they get closer to me, that we discuss things, THEN I will mention that and the whys.
@ourlot (982)
•
5 Oct 16
An annulment is exactly what you describe. Due to some error in the formalization of the marriage never happened (in a legal sense). That happens when one of the partners was already married or lied about some other substantial information (for example, can't engender children, has some serious illness). That's granted when one of the partners never ever would enter in such marriage had he or she known in advance about this issue.
So, it is not like you would be able to choose. Most marriages can't be annulled, since the contract is legally binding as it is, unless any of the conditions above apply.
Do not worry too much about the stigma. It's OK to say that you're single, by the way. And as time passes, you'll see the number of divorced people around you going up.
@Bella128 (2471)
• United States
5 Oct 16
I'm not single actually. I'm dating someone but on legal forms I have to check the divorced/single box. I actually hate it when I have to check my marital status as "single" because I'm not single! But yes, marriage wise I guess I am...
It's rather... I don't know the word... shocking? Just how many people are divorced these days. I have a friend that's my age that just got married for the third time and I think that's crazy. I think the whole marriage thing is a lot different now than it used to be and it's not as taboo to get divorced.
