Annulment Definition

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GLOSSARY

Published by a UU��ֱ�� Family expert

What does Annulment mean?

A declaration of the court that a marriage was not legally valid or had become legally invalid.

Unlike divorce or dissolution it is retroactive in that an annulled civil partnership or marriage is considered to be invalid from the beginning (as if it had never in fact taken place). Strictly, annulment refers only to making a voidable marriage or civil partnership null. If the marriage or civil partnership is void ab initio (ie void from the start) then it is automatically null although a legal declaration of nullity is still required.

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Void and voidable marriages

The Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 (MCA 1973) sets out the grounds on which a marriage is void or voidable and the bars preventing the grant of a decree of nullity. Proceedings for nullity are relatively rare but may be still be appropriate in certain situations. On 6 April 2022, the provisions of the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 (DDSA 2020), came into effect. Although DDSA 2020 made changes to the law in relation to proceedings for divorce, dissolution and (judicial) separation, it did not make any substantive changes to the law regarding nullity proceedings. The grounds on which a marriage or civil partnership may be void or voidable therefore remain unchanged.There are however some consequential changes to the procedure under the amended Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR 2010), SI 2010/2955 that affect applications for nullity and nullity of marriage orders issued on or after 6 April 2022, but proceedings issued by the court on or before 5 April 2022 will continue to progress under the pre-DDSA 2020 procedure and...

The grounds on which a marriage is voidable

On 6 April 2022, the provisions of the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 (DDSA 2020), came into effect. Although DDSA 2020 made changes to the law in relation to proceedings for divorce, dissolution and (judicial) separation, it did not make any substantive changes to the law regarding nullity proceedings. The grounds on which a marriage or civil partnership may be void or voidable therefore remain unchanged.There are however some consequential changes to the procedure under the amended Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR 2010), SI 2010/2955 that affect applications for nullity and nullity of marriage orders issued on or after 6 April 2022, but proceedings issued by the court on or before 5 April 2022 will continue to progress under the pre-DDSA 2020 procedure and such applications will not be impacted by the consequential changes to procedure. A decree of nullity granted after 31 July 1971 in respect of a voidable marriage operates to annul the marriage with effect from decree absolute and it is treated as if it had...

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Competition weekly highlights—1 May 2025

This week's edition of Competition weekly highlights includes, from a UK perspective: (1) the CMA’s decision to launch a consultation on proposed changes to the CMA’s guidance on applications for leniency and no-action in cartel cases, (2) publication by the CMA of guidance on how mergers are investigated, and (3) publication of guidance by the CMA on how it will deliver the 4Ps to support growth under the new digital markets competition regime. This week's highlights also includes, from an EU perspective: (1) the Commission’s decision to fine Apple €500m for breaching its anti-steering obligation under the DMA, (2) the Commission’s decision to close its investigation into Apple's user choice obligations under the DMA, (3) the Commission’s decision to issue its preliminary findings in relation to its non-compliance investigation into whether Apple’s new contractual requirements for alternative app distribution breach the DMA, (4) the Commission’s decision to fine Meta €200m for breaching the DMA obligation to give consumers the choice of a service that uses less of their personal data,...

EU Competition law—daily round-up (30/04/2025)

A round-up of EU competition law developments, including (amongst other things) (1) the General Court dismisses Symrise’s appeal against dawn raid in fragrance cartel investigation, and (2) the General Court dismisses appeal regarding Deutsche Lufthansa’s challenge against Commission decision to grant Frankhurt Hain airport following referral back from Court of Justice.

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