{"id":371280,"date":"2016-03-31T21:34:18","date_gmt":"2016-04-01T02:34:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/alabama-law\/alabama-annulment-and-prohibited-marriage-laws.html"},"modified":"2024-12-17T20:28:21","modified_gmt":"2024-12-18T01:28:21","slug":"alabama-annulment-and-prohibited-marriage-laws","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/alabama-law\/alabama-annulment-and-prohibited-marriage-laws.html","title":{"rendered":"Alabama Annulment and Prohibited Marriage Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Alabama Annulment and Prohibited Marriage Laws<\/h1>\n
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\n By FindLaw Staff<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Nicole Prebeck, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

When many people first hear the word "annulment," they think of a religious annulment. These are granted by a church or clergy member. While these processes may result in a dissolution of your marriage in the eyes of a religious institution, they do not legally end your marriage. Instead, there are separate procedures called \u201ccivil annulments."<\/p>\r\n

Each state has its own set of annulment and prohibited marriage laws<\/a> that invalidate marriage under certain circumstances. Alabama’s marriage laws, for example, focus on the age of consent and prohibit bigamous or incestuous marriages.<\/p>\r\n

In Alabama, the age of consent is 16, under most circumstances. At the same time, a person in Alabama can marry without the consent of a parent or guardian, when they are 18 years of age. However, a person can also marry as young as 16 years of age, if they also obtain a parent’s or guardian’s consent.<\/p>\r\n

Annulment Laws in Alabama<\/h2>\r\n

Annulment and prohibited marriage laws in Alabama are highlighted in the table below.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Prohibited Marriages<\/td>\r\nUnder Alabama law, the following types of marriages are prohibited:
Time Limits for Obtaining Annulment<\/td>\r\nA time limit is not specified by any law in Alabama.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>
Legitimacy of Children<\/td>\r\nThe children of incestuous or bigamous marriages are considered legitimate.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>
Grounds for Annulments<\/td>\r\nUnder the statutes cited above in "Prohibited Marriages," bigamous and incestuous marriages are prohibited by law and thus serve as grounds for civil annulments.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\r\n

Same-Sex Marriage in Alabama<\/h2>\r\n

The Obergefell v. Hodges<\/a><\/i> ruling was a landmark decision that legalized same-sex marriage in Alabama and every other state in the country regardless of their statutory or constitutional bans. In the wake of this case, not only did same-sex marriage become legal, but it also ceased to be a legitimate basis for a civil annulment.<\/p>\r\n

For additional updates and the latest developments in same-sex marriage law, you can visit FindLaw’s Same-Sex Marriage<\/a> section.<\/p>\r\n

Related Resources for Alabama Annulment and Prohibited Marriage Laws<\/h2>\r\n

Marriage can be a complicated legal process. You can contact an Alabama divorce attorney<\/a> if you would like assistance with a matter related to divorce or civil annulment. You can also visit FindLaw’s sections on Annulment<\/a>, Divorce<\/a>, and Alabama Family Law<\/a> for additional articles and information on this topic.<\/p>\r\n

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