Did Kim K & Britney Spears go through an Annulment or Divorce? 😦

You may have wondered if getting an annulment is the same as getting divorced. Celebrity news has covered some annulments over the years, including Kim Kardashian’s 72-day marriage and Britney Spears’s 55-hour marriage. These headlines may have led many of us to believe that getting an annulment is an easier way or equivalent to getting divorced – but it is not!

However, “Till death (or in this case, divorce) do us part” simply does not always hold true. In Florida, there are limited circumstances in which an annulment may be granted. An annulment can be granted when a marriage is considered to be “void” or “voidable” from the day it started. Some examples of void or voidable marriages can range from issues regarding bigamy, incest, mental incapacity, fraud, and more. One important point to note is that once a marriage has been consummated through sexual intimacy, then the marriage cannot be annulled. When Kris Humphries filed for an annulment from Kim Kardashian, he cited “fraud” as his reason for the annulment.

If one of these factors did not exist on the day the marriage began, your only other option to separate is divorce. If an annulment is granted by the court, the marriage technically never existed and is not recognized. This is just one of the differences between an annulment and a divorce, as when you get a divorce, the marriage is recognized, and is just coming to an end. Additionally, there is usually no specific time requirement to get an annulment if you find that your marriage is “void” or “voidable.”

Since an annulment is so different from a divorce in the sense that it is treated as if it never existed in the first place, if you are eligible for an annulment because the marriage was void or voidable, this may affect different aspects that would usually be given in a divorce proceeding.  For example, if you get your marriage annulled, you may not be eligible for alimony, as alimony can be determined and awarded after a divorce.

We understand that going through a divorce or an annulment can be a complicated process. If you have questions regarding an annulment, contact a Florida Family law attorney. The Florida Probate & Family Law Firm has a team of experienced Family attorneys located in Coral Gables, Florida. Our attorneys have helped clients in all types of circumstances with divorce and annulment matters. We serve the entire state of Florida, so call us at 305-677-5119 or email us at info@flpfl.com.