Are sex questions appropriate for annulment process?

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I was divorced 18 years ago. I have been very happily remarried (in a civil ceremony) for 13 years. I have decided I would like to get an annullment. My ex wife is not to be found nor or many others from that time period in my life. I was told by my church deacon that it was my responsibility to find her and other witnesses. If I can't find anyone, will my case get denied? The other point of the process that I find very uncomfortable is the F100 questions. My deacon is asking me for very explicit details of my former sex life. I am getting questions like how often, who enjoyed it, who initiated it and so on. I think that is a little over the edge. Is this a normal part of the annullment process?

-- Ed (eddiem83@hotmail.com), February 04, 2002

Answers

Response to Are sex questions appropriate for annullment process?

Hi Ed,

For one you should try to supply to the best of your ability the last known addresses. But on your case will not be denied but may take extra time and cost more for the investigators try and locate your spouse and witnesses. As far as the questions they are usually part of a multi-part paper questionaire. It's usually not part of a face to face interview. But each diocese can be different.

-- Br. Rich SFO (repsfo@prodigy.net), February 04, 2002.


Response to Are sex questions appropriate for annullment process?

Sex questions - If the validity of a marriage is about the facts and state of mind at the time of the marriage then questions about sex after the time of the marriage should have absolutely no relavance to the validity of the marriage.

Just because the question is on the form doesn't address the original question. Whether 2 people have a good or poor sex life after marriage, why is that relavent.

-- Michael (mdahl5@aol.com), April 23, 2002.


Response to Are sex questions appropriate for annullment process?

Michael,
Not having been in one of these investigations, I have to guess what the purpose of those questions may be. It's not so hard.

If a spouse was being bothered by the other one to engage in an unworthy or evil form of sexual relations, the fact should be uncovered. It will make formal grounds for annulment almost without exception. Or, if it occurs that there are no sexual relations, or that a disease or abnormality were kept secret by a spouse before the marriage was consummated; or other such bad indicators-- they would be grounds for a decree of nullity. I'm no canon lawyer; but I see how a sexual history is required.

-- eugene c. chavez (chavezec@pacbell.net), April 23, 2002.


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