Probably the most common grounds for annulment are related to fraud or misrepresentations that go the heart of the marriage. While the annulment laws in Utah allow a party to seek an annulment for all kinds of strange reasons such as being related to a certain degree to your spouse, already being married, and others, most people find themselves seeking an annulment because their spouse lied to them about something significant prior to the marriage. Moreover, usually the lie/misrepresentation was purposeful and the spouse would not have consented to the marriage had they known the truth.
Specific Types of Fraud
There are several instances where a court might find sufficient grounds to issue an annulment based on fraud. Here are some examples of fraud claims we have pursued and been successful on in the past:
- Unable to have children. Utah courts have issued annulments where one party was incapable of producing children and know about that fact, but lied to the other spouse or even failed to disclose such a thing.
- Criminal History. Some individuals have successfully received an annulment where they were able to prove their spouse lied about having a significant criminal history. If your client lied or concealed the fact they had committed a terrible crime and served prison time, you may be eligible for an annulment.
- Financial Matters. We have seen cases in which one spouse lied to the other about their horrific state of financial affairs prior to marriage. In some cases parties lied to their spouse about the fact they were in debt to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars or more.
- Psychiatric and Medical Issues: You might be able to get an annulment if your spouse lied to you about a serious psychological or medical issue.
There are many other fraud based claims that may qualify for an annulment. We have handled numerous annulment matters over the years. If you would like to seek an annulment based on fraud but are not sure if you qualify, we can help. Annulments can be complex and are not easily filed even if they are uncontested. It is best to have a Provo Divorce Lawyer represent you to give you the best shot of getting this entered by a judge.
