How does divorce differ from annulment under family law?

In family law, the primary distinction between divorce and annulment lies in the legal status of the marriage being terminated.

Divorce

Divorce is the legal dissolution of a valid marriage. It acknowledges that a marriage existed and terminates it, often due to factors such as irreconcilable differences, fault-based grounds (like adultery or cruelty), or the irretrievable breakdown of the relationship.12

Annulment

Annulment is the legal invalidation of a marriage that is considered void or voidable from its inception. Unlike divorce, an annulment decree attempts to leave the parties in statu quo ante, meaning they are returned to the legal position they held before the marriage occurred.1

Grounds for annulment typically involve a defect in the marriage contract, such as:
* Lack of legal capacity (e.g., due to age or pre-existing marriage)12
* Absence of real consent2
* Vitiating defects in the ceremony2
* Inability to consummate the marriage312

While divorce ends a valid union, annulment asserts that the marriage was never legally sound to begin with.31