Annulments in Diocese of Steubenville

[moonpies]

I was married in the diocese of Steubenville (ohio) and have been divorced for almost two years. I have grounds for an annulment but just was wondering…

If I am now living in the Diocese of Lincoln (Nebraska), can I still seek an annulment in the Diocese of Steubenville since I was married there?

…Also, does anyone know how long the process takes in the diocese of Steubenville? Anyone recieved an annulment in that diocese?

Thanks in advance!

 

[jrabs]

…Also, does anyone know how long the process takes in the diocese of Steubenville? Anyone recieved an annulment in that diocese?

Thanks in advance!

Each case is different. Response time of witnesses, and rebuttal time etc all play into this. Also current case load of your Tribunal will be a factor.

Some can be quick - depending on the situation and particulars of the marriage. Others may last well into a year or longer. If one side disputes it, the process may last even longer.

May God be with you in this process.

 

[moonpies]

Thank you!

 

[YADA]

I a not sure of all the Canon Laws that cover jurisdiction … perhaps you can seach Canon Law for it …

However, the impression I get is that you shoud begin in the diocese where you currently reside … but other factors can come to play … Back ground I entered the chruch from another Christian denomination. I was divorced from another non-catholic [we were married before a justice of the piece some 20 years earlier in South Carolina and divorced in Eastern oregon 5 years before I decided to become cahtolic in Western Oregon]… when I was required to submit my marriage to the Tribunal one of the first decisions involved jurisdiction.

I lived in Western Oregon - Archdiocese of Portland, my ex [a non catholic] lived in Eastern Oregon - Diocese of Baker … I was told that my ex had the right [under canon law]to have the case decided in the diocese where he resided [since I was the party bringing the case]… Ultimately, my ex did not request the transfer of the case to the Diocese of Baker and it was decided in the Diocese of Portland … no one ver entioned any diocese in South Carolina [becuase that was where the marriage took place]

I was not surprised that my ex did not request te transfer - as a non cahtolic, what difference could the diocese have made to him but it was his ‘right’… he still received an advocate and had all the same rights I had as the catholic party …

You do not say where your ex resides [still Stubenville or not] …

 

[moonpies]

I a not sure of all the Canon Laws that cover jurisdiction … perhaps you can seach Canon Law for it …

However, the impression I get is that you shoud begin in the diocese where you currently reside … but other factors can come to play … Back ground I entered the chruch from another Christian denomination. I was divorced from another non-catholic [we were married before a justice of the piece some 20 years earlier in South Carolina and divorced in Eastern oregon 5 years before I decided to become cahtolic in Western Oregon]… when I was required to submit my marriage to the Tribunal one of the first decisions involved jurisdiction.

I lived in Western Oregon - Archdiocese of Portland, my ex [a non catholic] lived in Eastern Oregon - Diocese of Baker … I was told that my ex had the right [under canon law]to have the case decided in the diocese where he resided [since I was the party bringing the case]… Ultimately, my ex did not request the transfer of the case to the Diocese of Baker and it was decided in the Diocese of Portland … no one ver entioned any diocese in South Carolina [becuase that was where the marriage took place]

I was not surprised that my ex did not request te transfer - as a non cahtolic, what difference could the diocese have made to him but it was his ‘right’… he still received an advocate and had all the same rights I had as the catholic party …

You do not say where your ex resides [still Stubenville or not] …

My ex (also a non catholic) travels for work and lives all over the United States. He never stays in one place for longer than a month or two.
I was reading the material I recieved from the Diocese of Lincoln and it says that someone not living in the Diocese of Lincoln can recieve an annulment in this diocese if they had been married here. I don’t know how that works in other Diocese, though. Thank you for your help!

ETA: We were also married in a courthouse in Virginia, but then had the marriage convalidated in the Catholic Church in Toronto, Ohio. My ex never became Catholic. I am a cradle Catholic.

 

[1ke]

Here are the relevant canons:

Can. 1673 In cases concerning the nullity of marriage which are not reserved to the Apostolic See, the following are competent:

1/ the tribunal of the place in which the marriage was celebrated;

2/ the tribunal of the place in which the respondent has a domicile or quasi-domicile;

3/ the tribunal of the place in which the petitioner has a domicile, provided that both parties live in the territory of the same conference of bishops and the judicial vicar of the domicile of the respondent gives consent after he has heard the respondent;

4/ the tribunal of the place in which in fact most of the proofs must be collected, provided that consent is given by the judicial vicar of the domicile of the respondent, who is first to ask if the respondent has any exception to make.

 

[moonpies]

Here are the relevant canons:

Can. 1673 In cases concerning the nullity of marriage which are not reserved to the Apostolic See, the following are competent:

1/ the tribunal of the place in which the marriage was celebrated;

2/ the tribunal of the place in which the respondent has a domicile or quasi-domicile;

3/ the tribunal of the place in which the petitioner has a domicile, provided that both parties live in the territory of the same conference of bishops and the judicial vicar of the domicile of the respondent gives consent after he has heard the respondent;

4/ the tribunal of the place in which in fact most of the proofs must be collected, provided that consent is given by the judicial vicar of the domicile of the respondent, who is first to ask if the respondent has any exception to make.

This helps me out a lot! Thank you so much!

 

[YADA]

Jurisdictionally, it maybe proper to file in either the diocese you reside or the diocese in which you married … that is why I suggested that you look through the canon law or contact the tribunal of one diocese or the other …

I have heard catholics discuss the time for various diocese to make decisions and the leniency or strickness of various tribunals … however, I have never thought there could be valid reasons for ‘shopping’ this way and anecdotal information is just that …

I was rather surprised by the deference given my ex to determine the jurisdiction and as I have that from the tribunal in written form believe it …

That a non-catholic would get to choose the diocese seemed odd to me then …

Now of course I appreciate that the church is truly geographically divided … I remember our Bishop saying he was responsible for every soul that resides within the geographic territory that covers this archdioccese … not every catholic, not every practicing catholic but every person - each soul - an awesome responsibility and one he said at times weighed him down …

 

[puzzleannie]

you can seek it in the diocese in which you now reside, in which your ex resides, in which you were married, or possibly even in which you were baptized. since the record and paperwork originated in Steubenville, that would be the logical first choice unless you have a good reason for trying elsewhere. Factors are how many annulments a diocese processes at any given time, how many people are on the staff working on them, how experienced they are, ease of locating witnesses, how easy it will be to stay in contact with the priest who will be guiding the process and advising you.