Quick & inexpensive Annulment for my fiance?

[JeffJ&StephO 0]

I met my fiance a year ago, knowing that she was only separated, and I had no idea that the annulment process was such a long & hard road until doing research here on the web. Does anyone out there have some good sound advice? Anyone know of a good honest, & reasonable lawyer in the Philippines? Thank you

[TBoneTX 43,373]

*** Thread moved from Site Discussion forum to the Philippines regional subforum, for country-specific input. ***

Edited December 30, 2013 by TBoneTX

[HollyGolightly 72]

What are her grounds for annulment? And where (what region/city ) in the Philippines is she filing? A simple case of declaration of nullity can last, on average 2-3 years. All other cases of annulment (including Art.36/psychological incapacity) can take as long as 4 years or over. Annulments are adversarial, which means that a case of annulment can only be resolved through a full blown trial type hearing which is often participated by the government through the OSG. The idea is that the state has a stake in keeping families together hence the opposition of the OSG. Divorce however, may be an option for one who is a member of the muslim faith in some regions of Mindanao which can be brought before a Sharia court.

[carton025 38]

an annullment process can take about 2 years and about $2,000 USD or more. Just wondering since she was still married, your marriage to her should be consideered illegal, therefore, null and void.

[KHnTX 4]

an annullment process can take about 2 years and about $2,000 USD or more. Just wondering since she was still married, your marriage to her should be consideered illegal, therefore, null and void.

Since the wording was fiancee they aren't married yet.

[Tahoma 2,291]

Prepare yourselves to wait a minimum of a year or two, and plan on spending P75,000 or more.

[JeffJ&StephO 0]

Thank you for the few quick responses on here. I forgot to mention she got married in the Phils to a Korean man who refuses to file for divorce back in Korea. (Out of spite I'm sure) I'm assuming this won't make a difference, but would appreciate more advice...& a trustworthy lawyer near Cagayan de Oro... As for her grounds for divorce, she & her husband were living with his parents & was she treated very poorly by all 3.. Not allowed to call home or skype with her family, leave the home on her own. There's more, but it hurts for her to talk about it, so I don't pry...

[Jeff @ Missy 9]

I believe the reason could be abandonment if the guy is in Korea and not coming back. I always heard 100k peso is the rate and the 2 yr wait is what it will be. Sorry to say that unless you are living with her in the Philippines I would find another, thats a long wait and if you are supporting her a very expensive one at that.

[HollyGolightly 72]

I believe the reason could be abandonment if the guy is in Korea and not coming back. I always heard 100k peso is the rate and the 2 yr wait is what it will be. Sorry to say that unless you are living with her in the Philippines I would find another, thats a long wait and if you are supporting her a very expensive one at that.

Abandonment is not a cause for Annulment. At most, the abandoned spouse can claim for legal separation on grounds of abandonment which does not sever the marriage ties, hence, prevents either from remarrying. Grounds for annulment must exist prior or at the time of marriage and they are exclusive (see EO 209. Art. 45).

If you are serious about annulment and do not want to spend too much on the process, I suggest that you have your fiancé consult with the local Public Attorney's Office at CDO. They can assist in most types of cases for indigent (or clients within a certain income bracket) for free. Even if they refuse to take on your case they will be able to give you a sound advice or refer you to a reputable attorney that will not charge you an arm and a leg.

I've practiced family law for a few years in Manila and I know how tough annulments can be. The rates of acceptance depends on the experience and expertise of your attorney. On average an attorney will charge 150-300K just as an acceptance fee and could charge separately per appearance (at a going rate of 1,500-3,000 per hearing). Some also charge separately for pleadings. It is not chump change and those that charge bargain prices may not be competent enough to handle your case. I suggest you do your research and find someone you can trust to handle your case well.

[Gumbolette 58]

My Aunt's annulment only took 8 months.. but that was with some strings to pull in the court system and ####### load of money spent approx. $3,000.

Also there was a vj member here who was from this same regional forum who had a successful annulment process. I am friends with her in FB and maybe she can give some info as to who she used as a lawyer and how to start the process.

[SennaBrigante 92]

Unfortunately, there's no such thing as a quick and inexpensive annulment here. If it's quick, you can bet that it's expensive and if it's cheap, you can bet that it will take forever.

With that said, going through this process will be a test on the strength of your relationship and I wish you all the luck in the world.

[Greenbaum 12,258]

IMHO the best way to go about finding a Lawyer for your fiancée is to befriend someone in the courthouse who knows and works with annulments and inquire as to recommendations for a lawyer that has a good success rate. They will know and then she can be put in touch with the lawyer and begin the discussion. You are still going to be a "captive" of the court process and can take 1-2 years that's been my experience.