For annulment: which diocese?

[Beethoven]

I am helping a friend with her annulment. She currently lives in a different diocese from which she was ‘married’.

Which diocese does she initiate the annulment? Her home diocese or the diocese of the wedding?

Many thanks!

Beethoven

 

[Just_Lurking]

Either one should work. Or the diocese where her ex-husband currently lives.

 

[1ke]

There are several choices:

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.

 

[powerofk]

Actually, when my wife was obtaining her annulment from her first husband, we had a hard time figuring this out. The diocese where she lived at the time (Las Cruces, NM) stated that she had to start the annulment in the diocese where the marriage took place (Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico). The Juarez diocese stated that she should start the annulment in the diocese where she was living. It took about 6 months or so of back-and-forth between the two dioceses before they decided to allow her to start the annulment process in Las Cruces. And, they had to do the annulment without her respondent because no one had a clue where her respondent lived, or even if he was still alive.

As a suggestion, I would try in the home diocese first, but be prepared to be bounced back and forth for a while.