Complaint for Annulment of Void Marriage — Undissolved Prior Marriage (Rhode Island)
COMPLAINT FOR ANNULMENT OF VOID MARRIAGE — UNDISSOLVED PRIOR MARRIAGE
Before filing: Use this complaint only when a party to the later marriage was still a party to another marriage or an undissolved relationship described in R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-1-5. This form requests a determination of marital status only. Confirm the correct county, obtain a summons, and serve the summons, complaint, Language Assistance Notice, automatic order, and any other required papers together. R.I. Family Court Rule 4(d); R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-5-14.1(a).
| Court | Case |
|---|---|
| State of Rhode Island, Family Court, [COUNTY] County | Case No. [________________] |
| [PLAINTIFF FULL NAME], Plaintiff | Complaint for Annulment |
| v. | |
| [DEFENDANT FULL NAME], Defendant |
Plaintiff alleges:
Parties and purported marriage
- Plaintiff is [FULL NAME] and resides at [ADDRESS, COUNTY, STATE]. Defendant is [FULL NAME] and resides at [ADDRESS, COUNTY, STATE OR LAST KNOWN ADDRESS].
- Plaintiff and Defendant participated in a marriage ceremony on [DATE] in [CITY, STATE]. The marriage record is [IDENTIFY RECORD OR EXHIBIT].
- The facts connecting this action to this court and county are [STATE SPECIFIC FACTS]. Any other pending case or order concerning the parties' marital status is [IDENTIFY COURT, CASE, AND STATUS OR STATE NONE KNOWN].
Undissolved prior marriage
- Before the ceremony identified 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 ceremony, the earlier marriage had not been finally dissolved. The specific facts and records establishing its continued existence are [STATE FACTS AND IDENTIFY RECORDS].
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-1-5 prohibits a person who is a party to another marriage from marrying and makes a marriage entered in violation of that prohibition absolutely void. Plaintiff requests a judgment determining that the purported marriage in paragraph 2 is void on the pleaded facts.
Related matters
- The parties have [NO CHILDREN TOGETHER / IDENTIFY CHILDREN AND ANY RELATED CASES]. No order concerning custody, support, property, or another matter is requested in this complaint. Any such claim must be pleaded on its own supported basis.
Request for judgment
Plaintiff asks the Court to:
- Determine, after considering the evidence, whether the prior marriage remained undissolved when the later ceremony occurred; and
- Enter judgment declaring the purported later marriage absolutely void under R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-1-5.
Respectfully submitted,
Signature: ________________________________________ Date: [__/__/____]
Printed name: [________________________________________]
Address for court notices: [________________________________________]
Telephone: [____________________] Email: [____________________]
Attorney and bar number, if represented: [________________________________________]
Sources and references
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-1-5
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-5-14.1
- Rhode Island Family Court Rules of Domestic Relations Procedure — Rules 1(a), 4(d), and 10(a).
About this template
- Last updated
- October 16, 2026
- Citations checked
- October 16, 2026
- Jurisdiction
- Rhode Island
- Category
- Family Law
Legal authority
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-1-5 (marriage entered while a prior marriage remains undissolved is absolutely void)
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-5-14.1(a) (automatic orders and service in an annulment case)
- R.I. Family Court Rule 1(a) (civil proceedings arising out of marriage)
- R.I. Family Court Rule 4(d) (summons and required service papers)
- R.I. Family Court Rule 10(a) (caption and party names)
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.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-1-5 (checked October 16, 2026): "A person is prohibited from marrying if such person is: (1) A party to another marriage; or (2) A party to a relationship that provides substantially the same rights, benefits and responsibilities as a marriage whether entered into in this state or another state or jurisdiction and such marriage or relationship has not been finally dissolved, unless the parties to the intended marriage will be the same as the parties to such other marriage or relationship. Any marriage entered in violation of this prohibition and any marriage where either of the parties is mentally incompetent at the time of the marriage, shall be absolutely void, and no life estate created by chapter 25 of title 33 shall be assigned to any surviving spouse in consequence of the marriage."
R.I. Gen. Laws § 15-5-14.1(a) (checked October 16, 2026): "Upon the filing of a complaint for divorce, divorce from bed and board, legal separation, annulment, custody or visitation by the plaintiff and upon service of the petition and summons of the defendant or upon waiver and acceptance of service by the parties, the automatic orders shall be effective with regard to the plaintiff upon the signing of the complaint and with regard to the defendant upon service. A copy of the automatic order shall be served with the summons and complaint."
R.I. Family Court Rule 1(a) (checked October 16, 2026): "These rules govern the procedure in the Family Court of the State of Rhode Island in all civil proceedings of a legal or equitable nature, arising out of: (1) Family relationships including marriage, divorce, separation, support, paternity, adoption and custody of children in such aforesaid matters; and (2) Disputes arising out of contracts entered into between spouses or persons intending to marry."
R.I. Family Court Rule 4(d) (checked October 16, 2026): "The summons, complaint, Language Assistance Notice, and all other required documents shall be served together. The plaintiff shall furnish the person making service with such copies as are necessary."
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