Complaint for Annulment of Void Marriage — Existing Prior Marriage — District of Columbia
COMPLAINT FOR ANNULMENT OF VOID MARRIAGE — EXISTING PRIOR MARRIAGE
District of Columbia
Before filing: Use this complaint only if one party to the later marriage had a living spouse from a prior marriage that had not been lawfully dissolved when the later marriage occurred. This form addresses no child, support, or property claim. Check the Superior Court's current filing instructions and add any required papers.
| Party | Role |
|---|---|
| [PLAINTIFF FULL LEGAL NAME] | Plaintiff |
| v. | Case No. [________________] |
| [DEFENDANT FULL LEGAL NAME] | Defendant |
In the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, Family Court, Domestic Relations Branch
Plaintiff alleges:
Parties and marriage
- Plaintiff is [FULL LEGAL NAME]. Plaintiff's address for court notices is [ADDRESS]. Defendant is [FULL LEGAL NAME]. Defendant's address or last known address is [ADDRESS].
- Plaintiff and Defendant entered into a marriage on [DATE] in [CITY AND JURISDICTION]. The marriage record is [IDENTIFY RECORD OR EXHIBIT].
- The marriage was performed ☐ in the District of Columbia ☐ outside the District of Columbia. If it was performed outside the District, ☐ Plaintiff ☐ Defendant was a bona fide District of Columbia resident when this action commenced. Facts supporting that residence are [STATE FACTS]. D.C. Code § 16-902(c)-(d).
Undissolved prior marriage
- Before the marriage described in paragraph 2, ☐ Plaintiff ☐ Defendant married [PRIOR SPOUSE'S NAME] on [DATE] in [JURISDICTION]. The prior marriage record is [IDENTIFY RECORD OR EXHIBIT].
- On the date of the later marriage, the prior spouse was living, and the prior marriage had not been terminated by a decree of divorce or otherwise lawfully dissolved. The facts and records supporting these allegations are [STATE SPECIFIC FACTS AND IDENTIFY RECORDS].
- D.C. Code § 16-904(d)(1) permits annulment when a party contracted a marriage while a former spouse was living and the former marriage had not been lawfully dissolved. D.C. Code § 46-401.01(3) identifies a marriage with an unterminated prior marriage as void ab initio. Plaintiff requests a decree under D.C. Code § 16-903.
Relief requested
Plaintiff asks the Court to:
- Find the facts pleaded in paragraphs 2 through 5 after considering the evidence.
- Enter a decree annulling the later marriage as illegal and void under D.C. Code §§ 16-903, 16-904(d)(1), and 46-401.01(3).
- Grant any further relief supported by facts pleaded here and applicable law: [SPECIFY OR WRITE “NONE”].
Respectfully submitted,
Signature: ________________________________________ Date: [__/__/____]
Printed name: [________________________________________]
Address for court notices: [________________________________________]
Telephone: [____________________] Email: [____________________]
Attorney and bar number, if represented: [________________________________________]
Sources and references
About this template
- Last updated
- October 16, 2026
- Citations checked
- October 16, 2026
- Jurisdiction
- District of Columbia
- Category
- Family Law
Legal authority
- D.C. Code § 16-901(2) (court means Superior Court of the District of Columbia)
- D.C. Code § 16-902(c)-(d) (annulment residence rules)
- D.C. Code § 16-903 (decree annulling an invalid marriage)
- D.C. Code § 16-904(d)(1) (undissolved prior marriage as annulment ground)
- D.C. Code § 46-401.01(3) (existing prior marriage void ab initio)
Family law covers the paperwork that shapes divorce, custody, child support, adoption, guardianship, and other family matters. These filings are emotional and high-stakes, and they also have to meet strict procedural rules for service, financial disclosure, and parenting plans. Clean, accurate paperwork keeps the focus on getting a workable outcome for the family instead of getting derailed by technical problems that delay hearings or force amended filings.
Not legal advice
This template is provided for informational purposes. We recommend having an attorney review any legal document before signing, especially for high-value or complex matters.
Checked against the law it cites
A reviewer verified this template's legal citations against the official source on October 16, 2026.
D.C. Code § 16-901(2) (checked October 16, 2026): "“Court” means the Superior Court of the District of Columbia."
D.C. Code § 16-902(c) (checked October 16, 2026): "No action for annulment of a marriage performed outside the District of Columbia or for affirmance of any marriage shall be maintainable unless one of the parties is a bona fide resident of the District of Columbia at the time of the commencement of the action."
D.C. Code § 16-902(d) (checked October 16, 2026): "The residence of the parties to an action for annulment of a marriage performed in the District of Columbia shall not be considered in determining whether the action shall be maintainable."
D.C. Code § 16-903 (checked October 16, 2026): "A decree annulling the marriage as illegal and void may be rendered on any of the grounds specified by sections 46-401.01 and 46-403 as invalidating a marriage."
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