Married at First Sight – Divorce or Annulment?

The question “Divorce or annulment Married at First Sight” is one that often comes up when discussing the couples from the show. By Season 17 (2023), viewers have seen that the couples on Married at First Sight don’t just go on dates—they get married. This means if their marriage doesn’t work out, they have to figure out what legal steps to take to end it. But what happens when things fall apart? Do they get divorced, or can they get an annulment?

In most cases, divorce is the way to go. Divorce is the legal process that officially ends the marriage and recognizes that it exists. This means both people are entitled to things like asset division, possibly alimony, and custody arrangements if there are children involved. An annulment, on the other hand, is much more complicated. It essentially says that the marriage was never valid in the first place, erasing its existence from a legal standpoint, making divorce or annulment a significantly different process.

The problem with annulments is that they can only happen in very specific situations. In most cases, the couple Married at First Sight wouldn’t qualify for an annulment, and even if they did, it would be rare for the situation to meet the legal criteria. So, for most of these couples, divorce is the more likely option when their marriage doesn’t work out.

The phrase “Divorce or annulment Married at First Sight” is important because it highlights the legal reality of the couples’ marriages. Even though their relationships may feel like they were rushed or unconventional, the law treats these marriages like any other. So, whether it’s divorce or annulment, the legal process for ending a marriage on the show is a bit more complex than viewers might think.

Do the Married at First Sight couples get divorced or annulled?

From what we see on the show, it’s highly unlikely that any of the couples from Married at First Sight would have their marriage annulled. In most cases, if the marriage doesn’t work out, the couples will probably end up getting a divorce instead of an annulment.

However, there’s an important caveat to keep in mind: Whether a couple can terminate their marriage through divorce or annulment depends on the state they live in when the marriage ends. This is because the laws surrounding divorce or annulment vary from state to state, with each jurisdiction having its own specific rules and requirements.

One key advantage of an annulment is that it legally declares the marriage void from the beginning, essentially treating it as if it never happened. This means that if a marriage is annulled, neither party is entitled to claims such as asset division (equitable distribution) or alimony, as the marriage is considered invalid.

Divorce

In North Carolina, getting a divorce is primarily done through N.C. Gen. Stat. § 50-6, which allows couples to divorce after they’ve lived separately for at least one year. One important thing to note is that one spouse must have the intention to remain apart permanently. North Carolina no longer has fault-based divorces, meaning you don’t have to prove who’s “at fault” for the marriage ending. The only requirement is that the couple has been legally separated for a full year. If they haven’t been apart for a year, they can’t even start the divorce process under this law.

When you think about Divorce or annulment Married at First Sight, any couple on the show would likely follow this same process if they chose to divorce. There’s no need to prove fault—it’s just about whether they’ve been separated long enough. This makes the divorce process a bit more straightforward, focusing on the length of the separation rather than what caused the relationship to end.

Annulment

In North Carolina, annulment is allowed only in very limited circumstances. Grounds for annulment in North Carolina include:

1. Bigamy (when one person to the marriage is already married, hasn’t been divorced, and has a living spouse);
2.  Kinship (when the marriage is between any two persons nearer of kin than first cousins or between double first cousins);
3.  Underage party (when a party to the marriage is under the age of 16 or when the marriage is between someone over the age of 16 and under the age of 18 but has not obtained proper authorization);
4.  Impotency (when a party to the marriage is physically impotent at the time of marriage);
5. Incompetency (when someone is incapable of entering into the marriage from want of will or understanding, including having been subjected to “undue influence”)
6. Fraud (such as lying about pregnancy).

Each of the grounds for annulment has its own underlying body of law that must be considered, analyzed, and interpreted before one can truly know whether grounds for annulment exist in any particular case.

Would one of the grounds for annulment in North Carolina apply to any of the couples on Married at First Sight? Possibly, but it’s highly unlikely a casual viewer would ever have enough information about someone on the show to know whether their marriage could be annulled. For most of these couples, divorce or annulment is a much more complicated decision, with divorce being the more common outcome.

If you have questions about terminating your marriage, either by divorce or annulment, you must speak with an experienced family law attorney to discuss the details of your situation. The right legal counsel will help you determine if annulment is a viable option in your case.

Bennett D. Rainey is a divorce attorney and partner at Kurtz Whitley Guy Sanders & Rainey, PLLC in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Bennett practices family law in numerous counties throughout the Triad including Forsyth County, Davidson County, Davie County, Surry County, Stokes County, and more. Call Bennett today at 336-768-1515 to set up a consultation and start working towards a better tomorrow. You may also email Bennett at brainey@wsncfamilylaw.