Office of Canonical Services
Services
Annulment Case Status
On average, it takes two years from the time our office receives a Formal Petition for a Declaration of Nullity of Marriage to complete the investigation. Over the course of the investigation, there is often communication between our office and the Petitioner, as well as with the Respondent and witnesses. Of course the Petitioner is interested in the status of the case - "At what stage in the investigation is the case? How much longer will it take?" Understandably, the Petitioner is anxious to resolve the case as soon as possible, and so are we. However, it is of no help to the Petitioner or to us to call the office weekly for an update, especially given the fact that we have over 400 cases pending and we try to handle them on a first-come, first-served basis. Instead of calling, please check for the Case Status for your case as listed below (chronologically according to case number). Your case status may not change for weeks, and that is often because we try to handle cases in the order in which we received them. Please be patient with us.
Here is a list of the chronological steps from the time we receive a case until it receives a decision. Once a decision is given, the case is removed from the list below. Please note that not all steps are applicable in every case.
CASE STATUS WHAT IT MEANS
​
Case received in the tribunal Case has been received by our office
​
Waiting for more information before case is begun Case is missing required information before it
can be started (for example, address for the Respondent, witnesses, documents)
​
Judicial vicar reviewing case before acceptance Checking to see if there are grounds for nullity
and summarizing petition for Respondent
​
Case accepted Case meets requirements for investigation of nullity
​
Contacting Respondent and waiting for reply Summary of petition sent to Respondent, awaiting
his/her reply
​
Officers of the Court named & Grounds set Judges assigned and grounds of nullity set
​
Investigation begun - Waiting for Witnesses to reply Questionnaires sent to witnesses - awaiting replies
​
Waiting to hear from Petitioner Tribunal needs to speak to Petitioner
​
Waiting to interview Respondent Tribunal wants to interview Respondent
​
Case with Auditor for interviews Auditor needs to interview one of the parties or
the witnesses
​
Petitioner reminded to contacts Witnesses Witnesses have not replied - need the Petitioner
to encourage witnesses to reply
​
Presiding Judge reviewing file Judge reviewing the case to see if all testimony
has been gathered and whether it is sufficient
to conclude the investigation
​
Publication of the Acts Both parties have 15 days to review all the
testimony of the parties and witnesses
​
Publication of the Acts in another diocese Testimony in the case sent to another diocese so
the Respondent can review it
​
Case sent to Defender of the Bond Defender puts forth all arguments in favor of the
marriage bond
​
Case sent to Judges for their vote Judges take turns reading all testimony and the
Defender's arguments before casting a vote
​
Waiting for Sentence to be written Judges have voted - but the case is waiting to be
written
​
Final sentence being written Judges have voted - decision being written under
guidance of presiding judge
Waiting for Case to be written
​
Case being signed by Judges Sentence written - all judges need to sign it
​
Respondent notified of final decision Respondent & Petitioner have 15 days to lodge
15 days to appeal an appeal
​
Decision appealed to San Diego One of the parties appealed the decision to the
court of Second Instance in the Diocese of San Diego
​
Decision appealed to Roman Rota One of the parties appealed the decision to the
Roman Rota
​
​
​
Case Status for Formal Cases
(listed in numerical order, and accurate as of March 22,2024)
2017-0582 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2020-0507 Waiting to hear from Petitioner
2020-0538 Waiting to hear from Petitioner
2020-0551 Case with Auditor/Instructor
2020-0556 Presiding Judge reviewing file
2020-0576 Case sent to Judges
2021-0508 Case sent to Judges
2021-0595 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2021-0610 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2022-0522 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2022-0531 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2022-0550 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2022-0557 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2022-0558 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2022-0561 Waiting to hear from Petitioner
2022-0562 Waiting to hear from Petitioner
2022-0568 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2022-0570 Case sent to Judges
2022-0571 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2022-0572 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2022-0575 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2022-0586 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2022-0587 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2022-0590 Petitioner reminded to contact witnesses
2022-0591 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2022-0599 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2022-0605 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2022-0607 Petitioner reminded to contact witnesses
2022-0608 Case sent to Judges
2022-0609 Publication of the Acts
2022-0611 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2022-0613 Waiting to interview Respondent
2022-0617 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2022-0619 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2022-0620 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2022-0621 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2022-0623 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2022-0625 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2022-0630 Waiting to hear from Petitioner
2022-0631 Waiting to hear from Petitioner
2022-0634 Publication of the Acts
2023-0500 Publication of the Acts
2023-0501 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2023-0502 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2023-0503 Waiting to hear from Petitioner
2023-0505 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0506 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2023-0507 Waiting to hear from Petitioner
2023-0508 Publication of the Acts
2023-0509 Publication of the Acts
2023-0511 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2023-0512 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2023-0513 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0515 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2023-0516 Case with Auditor/Instructor
2023-0517 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2023-0518 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2023-0520 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2023-0523 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2023-0524 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2023-0527 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0529 Publication of the Acts
2023-0530 Case sent to Judges
2023-0532 Waiting for Respondent to reply
2023-0533 Case sent to Judges
2023-0535 Waiting to hear from Petitioner
2023-0536 Case sent to Judges
2023-0538 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0539 Case with Auditor/Instructor
2023-0540 Case sent to Judges
2023-0541 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0542 Publication of the Acts
2023-0543 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2023-0544 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0546 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0547 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2023-0548 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2023-0549 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2023-0550 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2023-0551 Publication of the Acts
2023-0552 Publication of the Acts
2023-0554 Publication of the Acts
2023-0555 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0556 Waiting to hear from Petitioner
2023-0558 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2023-0559 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2023-0560 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0561 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0562 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2023-0563 Case sent to Judges
2023-0564 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0565 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0566 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0567 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2023-0568 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0569 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2023-0570 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0571 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0572 Publication of the Acts
2023-0573 Case sent to Judges
2023-0574 Case sent to Judges
2023-0575 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0576 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2023-0577 Case sent to Judges
2023-0578 Petitioner reminded to contact witnesses
2023-0580 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2023-0581 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0582 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0583 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0584 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2023-0585 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2023-0586 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance
2023-0587 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance
2023-0588 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2023-0589 Publication of the Acts
2023-0590 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0591 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0592 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0593 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0594 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2023-0595 Waiting to interview Respondent
2023-0596 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0597 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0599 Waiting for Respondent to reply
2023-0600 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0601 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0603 Case Rejected
2023-0604 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0605 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0606 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2023-0607 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2023-0608 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2023-0609 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0610 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2023-0611 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2023-0613 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2023-0614 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2023-0615 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0616 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2023-0618 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2023-0619 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2023-0620 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0622 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2023-0623 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2023-0624 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2023-0625 Waiting for Respondent to reply
2023-0626 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0627 Waiting for Respondent to reply
2023-0628 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2023-0629 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2023-0630 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0631 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2023-0632 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2023-0633 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0634 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2023-0635 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2023-0636 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2023-0637 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2023-0638 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance
2023-0639 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2024-0640 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2024-0641 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2024-0642 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2024-0643 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2024-0644 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2024-0645 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2024-0646 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2024-0647 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2024-0648 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance
2024-0649 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance
2024-0650 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance
2024-0651 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2024-0652 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2024-0653 Case accepted
2024-0654 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2024-0655 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2024-0656 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2024-0657 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance
2024-0658 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance
2024-0659 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2024-0660 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2024-0661 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2024-0662 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2024-0663 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance
2024-0664 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance
2024-0665 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance
2024-0666 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance
2024-0668 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance
2024-0669 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance
2024-0670 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance
2024-0671 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance
2024-0672 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance
2024-0673 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance
2024-0674 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance
2024-0675 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance
2024-0676 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance
2024-0677 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance
2024-0678 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance