The woman I am seeing and want to marry, has just been refused an annulment of her first marriage. We think the decision is unjust. Can she appeal?

-- Steve (steve432@hotmail.com), February 20, 2005

Answers

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-- ZAROVE (ZAROFF3@JUNO.COM), February 20, 2005.

Yes. Speak again to the priest who helped you get the case moving originally.

-- (@@@.@), February 20, 2005.

You will just loose your time. Accept the hard truth and you will be blessed, dude.

-- mary laura (kwen79@upon.com), February 20, 2005.

She has failed to prove her case; if she truly believes it is unjust, then she will re-apply and perhaps offer better witnesses. OR it could be the simple truth that she has no grounds, therefore what is done is done.

-- Fr. Paul (pjdoucet@hotmail.com), February 20, 2005.

Her former spouse's attitude is to make things as difficult as he can for her, the tribunal believed his version. He said that if she gave him $10,000 he would not oppose the annulment. We do not have that kind of money. She can't prove he said this though.

-- Steve (Steve432@hotmail.com), February 21, 2005.

Steve, Please keep in mind that the marriage review process is just that a review of the marriage. It is not an adversarial case between the spouses.

The Church must decide whether the marriage was sacramental.

Marriages are complex and it is hard to document things that are pertinent without help. Talk with your priest or a canon lawyer who might be able to help in the process.

The tribunal that reviewed the marriage may not have had all the facts. Work diligently to give them all the information. Your friend might have to resubmit her petition for the writ of nullity.

The fact that her "ex-husband" is trying to extort money is a factor that the tribunal may need to know. Try asking for a re-hearing.

Ask your priest or canon lawyer about all the canonically accepted remedies and trust his advise.

But, in the end if the Church determines that their marriage was sacramental -- then it was sacramental.

God bless,

-- john placette (jplacette@catholic.org), February 21, 2005.