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 December 1, 2023)
2017-0582 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2019-0590 Case sent to Judges
2020-0507 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2020-0538 Waiting to hear from Petitioner
2020-0551 Case with Auditor/Instructor
2020-0556 Presiding Judge reviewing file
2020-0576 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2020-0650 -- Select --
2021-0508 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2021-0525 Closed AFFIRMATIVE decision
2021-0532 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2021-0593 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2021-0595 Presiding Judge reviewing file
2021-0610 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2022-0504 Case sent to Judges
2022-0506 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2022-0522 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2022-0531 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2022-0536 Case sent to Judges
2022-0538 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2022-0539 Case being signed by Judges
2022-0547 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2022-0550 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2022-0556 Case sent to Judges
2022-0557 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2022-0558 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2022-0561 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2022-0562 Waiting to hear from Petitioner
2022-0568 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2022-0569 Case sent to Judges
2022-0570 Case sent to Judges
2022-0571 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2022-0572 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance
2022-0575 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2022-0582 Case sent to Judges
2022-0586 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2022-0587 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2022-0588 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2022-0590 Petitioner reminded to contact witnesses
2022-0591 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2022-0596 Case sent to Judges
2022-0597 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2022-0598 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2022-0599 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2022-0600 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2022-0602 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2022-0605 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2022-0606 Case sent to Judges
2022-0607 Petitioner reminded to contact witnesses
2022-0608 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2022-0609 Publication of the Acts
2022-0611 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2022-0613 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2022-0614 Case sent to Judges
2022-0615 Case sent to Judges
2022-0617 Petitioner reminded to contact witnesses
2022-0619 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2022-0620 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2022-0621 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2022-0623 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2022-0625 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2022-0630 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2022-0631 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2022-0632 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2022-0634 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2022-0635 Case sent to Judges
2023-0500 Publication of the Acts
2023-0501 Waiting for Respondent to reply
2023-0502 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2023-0503 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2023-0504 Case sent to Judges
2023-0505 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0506 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0507 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0508 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0509 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2023-0510 Case sent to Judges
2023-0511 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0512 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0513 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0515 Waiting for Respondent to reply
2023-0516 Case with Auditor/Instructor
2023-0517 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2023-0518 Publication of the Acts
2023-0519 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2023-0520 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0522 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2023-0523 Presiding Judge reviewing file
2023-0524 Presiding Judge reviewing file
2023-0526 Case sent to Judges
2023-0527 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0528 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2023-0529 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0530 Publication of the Acts
2023-0533 Case sent to Judges
2023-0534 Case sent to Judges
2023-0535 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0536 Publication of the Acts
2023-0538 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0539 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0540 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2023-0541 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0542 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0543 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2023-0544 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0545 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2023-0546 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2023-0547 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0548 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2023-0549 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2023-0550 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2023-0551 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0552 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0553 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2023-0554 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0555 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0556 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2023-0557 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2023-0558 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2023-0559 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2023-0560 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2023-0561 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0562 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2023-0563 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2023-0564 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0565 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2023-0566 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2023-0567 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2023-0568 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2023-0569 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance
2023-0570 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2023-0571 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2023-0572 Publication of the Acts
2023-0573 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2023-0574 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2023-0575 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0576 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0577 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2023-0578 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0580 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2023-0581 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2023-0582 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2023-0583 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2023-0584 Presiding Judge reviewing file
2023-0585 Waiting for more information before case is begun
2023-0586 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance
2023-0587 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance
2023-0588 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2023-0589 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0590 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0591 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0592 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2023-0593 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2023-0594 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2023-0595 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2023-0596 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0597 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2023-0598 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0599 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2023-0600 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2023-0601 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2023-0602 Case sent to Defender of the Bond
2023-0603 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance
2023-0604 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2023-0605 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2023-0606 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2023-0607 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2023-0608 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2023-0609 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2023-0610 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance
2023-0611 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance
2023-0612 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2023-0613 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2023-0614 Investigation underway - Waiting for Witnesses to reply
2023-0615 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2023-0616 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2023-0618 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance
2023-0619 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance
2023-0620 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance
2023-0621 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance
2023-0622 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance
2023-0623 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance
2023-0624 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance
2023-0625 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2023-0626 Officers of the Court named & Grounds set
2023-0627 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2023-0628 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2023-0629 Case accepted & Respondent contacted
2023-0630 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance
2023-0631 Judicial Vicar reviewing case before acceptance