Understanding Grounds for Annulment in Oklahoma
Hi, my name is Clint Hastings. I’m a Tulsa Dads.Law attorney here in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and I focus on fathers’ rights.
Today, I want to do a follow-up on my annulment video and give a little more detail about the grounds for annulment and what situations might come up more commonly here in Oklahoma.
Situations Leading to Voidable Marriages
One question I get a lot is whether it’s grounds for annulment if your wife told you she was pregnant before the marriage—maybe that was the main reason you got married—and it turns out she wasn’t pregnant at all, or that the baby wasn’t yours.
This type of situation is what we call a voidable marriage, not a void marriage. That means it isn’t automatically invalid, but you may be able to ask the court to declare it void through an annulment based on fraud.
Challenging a Voidable Marriage
However, if you continue living with your spouse for a significant period after finding out the truth and only later decide to file for an annulment, the court may determine that you effectively waived your right to challenge the marriage. In that case, the judge likely won’t grant an annulment.
If, on the other hand, you find out right away and take immediate legal action, the court might be more likely to agree that fraud occurred and grant the annulment. But this is very fact-specific. You’ll need to prove that the fraud happened and that it was the basis of your decision to marry.
Consultation for Your Specific Situation
There are other grounds that can make a marriage void or voidable. Contact Tulsa men’s divorce attorney Clint Hastings at 918-962-0900, tell us about your situation, and we’ll help you determine the best course of action.
