Divorces can be unpredictable, messy and confounding. Texas family lawyers frequently opine that every January brings not only the start of a new year but an onslaught of divorce litigation. For some clients, secular divorce is only the beginning of the dissolution process. Some clients may also need a religious divorce. For such clients, in order to marry again within their house of worship, there may be need to obtain a religious divorce document. Judaism requires a “get,” a Jewish bill of divorce. For Catholics, a “declaration of nullity” is the term. This is done via a Catholic Church tribunal. Some may view a Jewish Bill of Divorcement (a “Get,” or “Gittin”) or a Catholic “declaration of nullity” as antiquated. By contrast, for those “of the faith” the need for such a religious divorce is imperative in order to move forward, to bring closure on a bad union, and to open the door to remarriage within their faith. This article provides a broad introductory overview of aspects of religious divorce. The authors intend to cast no aspersions on these historical processes, but instead to provide an outline of the background and process of each, with the utmost of respect for religious divorce.

Catholic Declaration of Nullity: Annulment to Family Lawyer

An annulment is properly referred to as a declaration of nullity. Though it can be applied to any of the seven sacraments, Catholic Church tribunals are most often asked to grant declarations of nullity for matrimony. Because the Catholic Church doctrine provides that a married couple cannot divorce for any reason, divorce is not viewed by the Catholic Church as a valid dissolution of a marriage.

He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.” Matthew 19:8

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