CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF KALAMAZOO Office of the Tribunal

215 N. Westnedge Street, Kalamazoo MI 49007-3760; 269-903-0215

PETITIONER FOR DECLARATION OF NULLITY CHECKLIST

DOCUMENTS TO BE COMPLETED BY THE PETITIONER

After gathering the following information, please make an appointment with your fieldadvocate so they may witness your statement of Tribunal Policy and review your case documents.

Make a copy of every document returned to the Tribunal.

A record of your Catholic Baptism or Profession of Faith for all baptized/ professed Catholics

A copy of your civil marriage record.

A copy of your final civil divorce/dissolution decree

Resume of the Marital Relationship, please return questionnaire with resume

Petition For Declaration of Invalidity of Marriage (Application)

Statement of Tribunal Policy

Witness Supplement Form (read this carefully please)

Witness List (you must provide four to six witnesses who have agreed to participate)

Whereabouts of the Respondent Questionnaire (If required)

PETITIONER FOR DECLARATION OF NULLITY CHECKLIST

CLARIFICATIONS/EXPLANATIONS FOR ADVOCATES

Make a copy of every document returned to the Tribunal. If the penmanship is illegible all documents will be return.

A record of your Catholic Baptism or Profession of Faith for all baptized/ professed Catholics We do not require proof of Baptism for NON-CATHOLICS but you are free to include one.

A copy of your civil marriage record.If you provide a baptismal certificate and it is noted on the back of the certificate when and where the marriage took place this does NOT waive the required marriage document.

A copy of your final civil divorce/dissolution decree We will accept a copy of the first page that includes the name of the court, the Petitioner in the case and the Respondent in the case and all of the signature pages (final page or two). We do not need the entirep decree.

Resume of the Marital Relationship, please return questionnaire with resumeMake sure the petitioner has provided details and examples at every opportunity. If the marital resume has three and four sentence answers it will be returned with a request for details.

Petition For Declaration of Invalidity of Marriage (Application)Section 1 – Check the appropriate box if the Petitioner and/or their future spouse is in RCIA. Baptismal status is “yes” or “no”, Religion at the time of wedding is “religion at the time of

the wedding. Baptismal status is “yes” or “no”, Religion at present is “current religion”. Date, parish, address of Catholic Baptism information can be taken from the Baptismal

certificate.Section 2 – See explanations above, if you have any questions please contact the Tribunal.Section 3 – Self Explanatory, if you have any questions please contact the Tribunal.Section 4 – ALL prior and current marriage(s) must be recorded here.Section 5 – Review this section with the Petitioner prior to his/her signature.Section 6 – This is for YOU to complete.Section 7 – This is a formal request for the Tribunal to hear a case. The proposed grounds must be

provided in the box toward the bottom of the page. The Petitioner MUST sign below the proposed grounds.

If the Petitioner does not want to request the case to be considered for the Bishop’s process they must check the box at the bottom of Section 7.

Section 8 – You may contact the Respondent for their consent. (see instructions at the bottom of

Section 7). Is should be made clear to the Respondent that in addition to his consent it is very likely the Tribunal will send him a questionnaire or two to completed in an effort to receive corroborating testimony.

PETITIONER FOR DECLARATION OF NULLITY CHECKLIST CLARIFICATIONS (continued)

Make a copy of every document returned to the Tribunal. If the penmanship is illegible all documents will be return.

Statement of Tribunal PolicyPetitioner must read this before signing Section 5 of the application.

Witness Supplement Form Advocates PLEASE read this (and make sure the Petitioner reads this) and if you do not fully understand what the Petitioner needs to look for when selecting witnesses contact the Tribunal.

Witness List (you must provide four to six witnesses who have agreed to participate)The witness must be someone who qualifies as a witness; they must have known the couple prior to the marriage or have known the Petitioner well enough that the Petitioner shared a great deal of information regarding the relationship prior to marriage.

Whereabouts of the Respondent Questionnaire (If required)Only complete this form if the whereabouts of the Respondent are unknown.