Navigating Annulments · Setup

Where are you in the process?

Six questions. The Companion will calibrate to where you actually are — intake, libellus, instruction, sentence, appeal — and tell you what your tribunal expects this week.

About your data. Everything you enter is held in your browser's local storage on this device. Nothing about your marriage is transmitted from this page. When the member layer is bound (after Stripe wires up), signed-in members may optionally sync metadata only — phase + dates — to their account so the Companion follows them across devices. Documents and testimony are never stored server-side. The tribunal owns those.

Step 1 of 6

How should the Companion address you?

First name only. No last name needed — the Companion never sends an email or document on your behalf. (CIC 1983, can. 220 — the right to one's good name and protection of privacy.)

First name

Used in the Companion's cover line only — "John, you are in instruction this week."

Your role in this case

Petitioner You are the one bringing the case to the tribunal. Respondent Your former spouse filed; you've been notified. You still have rights — Mitis Iudex art. 11, §1 — to participate, to see the libellus, and to respond. Discerning No case is open yet. You are reading and praying to discern whether to approach a tribunal.

Step 2 of 6

The marriage itself.

These three facts establish which tribunal is competent (CIC 1983, can. 1672) and which body of canons applies to the case.

Year of attempted marriage

The year the ceremony took place — civil or sacramental. Required for the tribunal to compute jurisdiction (can. 1672).

Form of marriage

If the form was civil-only or lack-of-form, the case may not require a full annulment tribunal — see can. 1117 + the streamlined "lack of canonical form" process. The Companion will flag this.

Step 3 of 6

Your parish and diocese.

CIC 1983, can. 1672: the competent tribunal is normally that of the diocese where the marriage was celebrated, where the respondent has domicile, where the petitioner has domicile (with conditions), or where most of the proofs are to be collected. The Companion uses your diocese to surface tribunal-specific norms when available.

Parish where you currently attend Mass

Diocese (or archdiocese)

If your tribunal is in a different diocese than your parish, enter the parish diocese here — the Companion will ask about tribunal-of-case separately on the next screen.

Step 4 of 6

The tribunal handling the case.

CIC 1983, can. 1419 + Mitis Iudex art. 8. Tribunals at each level operate under distinct procedural canons. If you don't know yet, "Not yet engaged" is the right answer — the Companion will walk you through the first contact.

Diocesan tribunal — first instance The ordinary first-level tribunal of your diocese (or a nearby one if yours doesn't operate). Most cases begin here. Metropolitan tribunal The archdiocese tribunal that hears appeals from suffragan dioceses, or first-instance cases under Mitis Iudex art. 14, §1 (briefer process before the diocesan bishop in evident cases). Roman Rota The ordinary appellate court of the Apostolic See. Hears appeals after a second-instance decision is contested. Not yet engaged You have not contacted a tribunal. Don't worry — that's where the Companion's "intake" phase starts.

Step 5 of 6

Where are you in the canonical process right now?

Eight phases of the ordinary process per CIC 1983, cann. 1671–1707, with Mitis Iudex (2015) updates. Pick the closest match — the Companion will recalibrate as the tribunal advances you. If you're not certain, choose the earliest one that fits.

Intake — pre-libellus You're gathering documents, praying through whether to file, or speaking informally with a priest or parish minister. Libellus filed Your written petition is in the hands of the judicial vicar (can. 1502). You're waiting for acceptance. Petition accepted — case opened The libellus has been accepted; the respondent has been (or is being) cited; grounds have been formally established (joinder of the issue, can. 1676 §2). Instruction — proofs being gathered Witnesses are being interviewed; affidavits are being collected; the defender of the bond is making arguments (can. 1432). This is the longest phase. Publication of the Acts The acts are made available to both parties for review (can. 1598 §1). You may submit additional observations. Sentence (decree) received The tribunal has issued a definitive sentence. Affirmative = nullity declared. Negative = bond presumed valid. Mitis Iudex (2015) ended the automatic confirmation requirement — affirmative sentences are now executive unless appealed (cann. 1679–1680). Appeal in progress A party (petitioner, respondent, or defender of the bond) has appealed the sentence. The Metropolitan tribunal — or the Rota — is reviewing. Post-decree — case closed A definitive affirmative sentence is in hand and unappealed within the term (15 days, can. 1630). Or, the negative sentence is definitive. The case is closed; the Companion's role shifts to integration.

Step 6 of 6

Do you have an advocate or canonical procurator?

CIC 1983, can. 1481: a party may freely appoint an advocate. Many cases proceed without one, but for complex grounds (especially canons 1095 §2 and 1101 §2) an advocate is wise. The Companion does not refer; this question only adjusts what the Companion shows you week-by-week.

Advocate's name (optional)

Advocate's contact (optional)

Calibrated.

Your Companion has been set to your current phase. The TODAY view will tell you what your tribunal expects this week, what the Code of Canon Law says about it, and where the Companion's library sits relative to your case.

Open TODAY view →

Sources cited on this page: Codex Iuris Canonici (1983) cann. 220, 1117, 1419, 1432, 1481, 1502, 1598 §1, 1630, 1671–1707, 1672, 1676 §2, 1679–1680; Pope Francis, Mitis Iudex Dominus Iesus (2015), art. 8, art. 11 §1, art. 14 §1.