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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

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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

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