Tribunal #:
920-272-8169 Cathy Nick
920-272-8167 Kathleen Schumacher
TOLL FREE 1-877-500-3580
Within 920 and 715 area code only
PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION FORM
FOR POSSIBLE ANNULMENT CASE
Directions:
A.
Please fill out as completely as possible. If more space is needed, insert standard
size paper
and number questions accordingly.
Fill out by clicking in the gray areas and filling in the correct information. The
“Tab” key will move the cursor to the next available spot or click on a field with
the mouse.
This form can be e-mailed to you, or is available on floppy disc.
PETITIONER (you)
Name:
Address:
(First)
(Maiden)
(Street)
(Middle Name)
(Present last name)
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Occupation:
Telephone Number:
(Work) (
Residence(
Date of Birth:
)
)
-
(MM/DD/YYYY)
Place of Birth
Your religious affiliation:
Church, Place, &
Church:
Date of Baptism:
Place:
Date: (MM/DD/YYYY)
Father's Name:
Mother's first &
First:
maiden name:
Maiden:
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B.
RESPONDENT (The other person of the marriage in question. The Respondent has a right to
be notified of this annulment case.)
Name:
Address:
(First)
(Maiden)
(Street)
(Middle Name)
(Present last name)
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Occupation:
Telephone Number:
(Work) (
)
-
Residence(
Date of Birth:
)
-
(MM/DD/YYYY)
Place of Birth
His/Her religious affiliation:
Church, Place, &
Church:
Date of Baptism:
Place:
Date: (MM/DD/YYYY)
Father's Name:
Mother's first &
First:
maiden name:
Maiden:
Parent’s Address:
(Street)
(City)
Parent’s Telephone
(
(State)
)
-
Number:
2
(Zip)
C.
FACTS REGARDING MARRIAGE:
Courtship:
When did you first meet each other?
How long after meeting did you begin dating?
How long did you date before the engagement?
How long were you engaged before the wedding?
Civil Marriage (if applies):
Courthouse:
City:
State:
Church Marriage:
Date: (MM/DD/YYYY)
Place:
City:
State:
Petitioner's age at time of marriage:
Respondent's age at time of marriage:
Petitioner's religion at time of marriage:
Respondent's religion at time of marriage:
Date of final separation (when you stopped living together): (MM/DD/YYYY)
Date of divorce or civil annulment (specify) and place (city & state):
Date (MM/DD/YYYY)
of Divorce at (City)
, (State)
List the names and dates of birth of children born in your marriage with the Respondent.
Name:
Date: (MM/DD/YYYY)
Name:
Date: (MM/DD/YYYY)
Name:
Date: (MM/DD/YYYY)
Name:
Date: (MM/DD/YYYY)
Name:
Date: (MM/DD/YYYY)
Name:
Date: (MM/DD/YYYY)
Name:
Date: (MM/DD/YYYY)
If either you or your former spouse were previously married, please give us details:
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THE FAMILY BACKGROUNDS AND PERSONAL COMPARISON: These questions
concern the influence of family formation on this marriage and the personality and employment
history of the Petitioner and Respondent.
1. Compare your family background to that of your former spouse. Possible areas to be addressed
in your summary could be: parent’s marriage, communication/problem solving, instances of
divorce, any physical/sexual abuse, alcohol/drug abuse, relationship with parents, brothers and
sisters, etc. Please explain and give examples.
2. Compare your personality and the personality of your former spouse. What impact did this have
on your relationship? Please explain and give examples.
3. Compare your life goals and job history with that of your former spouse. Please explain and
give examples.
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COURTSHIP: Building the foundation for marriage.
4. Compare your dating patterns with those of your former spouse before you met each other.
Were either of you engaged/married before? Please explain.
5. How did you meet each other? Under what circumstances was marriage proposed? How
frequently did you see each other during the courtship? Did you live together before the wedding?
Please explain.
6. Please discuss any factors that brought about this marriage that, as you look back, were not
healthy for the upcoming marriage. Possible areas to think about are a premarital pregnancy, force
or pressure by someone, deception by someone, if you or your former spouse entered marriage
based on a future condition (example: “I will marry you if and only if you stop drinking,” or “I
will marry you if and only if you become a Catholic,” etc.). Please explain the facts and the impact
on the relationship.
7. Attitude is very important in building a solid marriage. Looking at the courtship, compare your
attitude and your former spouse’s attitude concerning such areas as one’s view of divorce, one’s
outlook on children for this marriage, the practice of one’s religious beliefs, the importance of
faithfulness in this marriage, etc.
A. Divorce: Did either you or your former spouse believe in divorce as a solution to marital
problems? Did either spouse ever say, “If it doesn’t work out, we can always get a divorce”?
Please explain.
B. Children: Did you make any plans concerning children during the courtship? If so, what?
Did either of you decide not to have children in the marriage? If so, why? Was any decision
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made to wait a few years after you were married before having children? If so, please
describe.
C. Religion: Before the marriage, did either of you display negative attitudes toward
religion? If so, please describe. Did both of you want God to be a part of your marriage?
Were both of you open to letting each other practice his/her religion? Please explain.
D. Fidelity: What attitudes did each of you have about being faithful to each other? During
the time of courtship and/or engagement, did either you or your former spouse date anyone
else? Did this involve sexual familiarity? Please explain.
8. Communication is a key foundation for one’s marriage. How was the communication with your
former spouse during the courtship? How did the two of you make decisions together? Were you
able to share feelings and ideas well? Were there many disagreements or arguments in the
courtship? How were they resolved? Please explain.
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9. Did either of you have any problems with gambling, drinking, or drug use before or during the
courtship? Were there any instances of violence? Did either of you have any problems with
handling of money, arrests, or imprisonments? If so, please explain.
10. Compatibility and respect for the other’s differences are important for building a solid
marriage. During the courtship was there anything about your future spouse that you did not like?
Was there anything that he/she did not like about you? How did you deal with these differences?
Please explain.
11. Did either of you suffer from any psychological or emotional problems before or during the
courtship? If so, please describe. (Example: history of illness, hospitalization, medication, etc.)
12. Did anyone object to the marriage or have any reservations about its success (example: family
member, friend, priest/minister/rabbi, etc.)? Did they talk with you about their feelings before or
after the marriage? If so, explain who objected and why.
WEDDING DAY AND HONEYMOON:
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13. Did anything unusual happen during the marriage ceremony or at the reception? Was there a
honeymoon? Was it happy? Please explain. Was the marriage consummated at that time?
MARRIED LIFE: These questions concern the key elements of your life with your former spouse.
When you answer the questions, please describe the circumstances at the beginning, middle and
final stage of the marriage.
14. Communication in the marriage: Good communication is a pillar of marriage. How did the
two of you share your feelings and ideas? Was there mutual respect for one’s feelings and
opinions? Was decision-making healthy in the marriage? When there were arguments, how were
they resolved? Please explain.
Beginning Stage:
Middle Stage:
Final Stage:
15. Love and Affection in Marriage: A husband and wife should experience true marital intimacy.
How was love and affection expressed between you? Was there a healthy physical intimacy in the
marriage? Was there a genuine faithfulness in this marriage? Please explain.
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Beginning stage:
Middle Stage:
Final Stage:
16. Children: In marriage, the spouses cooperate with God in bringing about new human life. Did
either of you make a decision not to have children? Was this decision made before or during the
marriage? Why were children not wanted? What means were used to prevent children, and were
those means always used? If no children were born to the marriage, why not? Were there any
abortions? Please explain.
Beginning Stage:
Middle Stage:
Final Stage:
17. Partnership in Life: Please discuss how your marriage was or was not a partnership by
reflecting upon the following areas: the raising of children; carrying responsibilities individually
and as a couple (job and home); sharing common interests that promote a healthy growth in your
relationship; a mutual respect for one’s families (in-laws) and friends, etc. Did you have a healthy
partnership in your marriage? Please explain.
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Beginning Stage:
Middle Stage:
Final Stage:
18. Religion. One’s relationship with God is an important part of a good marriage. Did you and
your former spouse respect each other’s religious practices? Were both of you open to having God
as a part of your marriage? Please explain.
Beginning Stage:
Middle Stage:
Final Stage:
19. Areas of Division: In a marriage, circumstances can arise that divide the couple. Please
discuss what may have caused division in your marriage. Areas that could possibly be addressed
are: abuse (physical, sexual, emotional), infidelity, money issues, conflicting careers, alcohol or
drug abuse, gambling addiction, arrests or imprisonments, etc. Please explain.
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Beginning Stage:
Middle Stage:
Final Stage:
20. Other Areas of Importance: Other areas that may be of importance for you to share are: any
temporary separations, professional counseling (individual or as a couple, whether both cooperated
in counseling, how long the counseling lasted and whether there was any success), details of the
final separation, etc. Please explain. Also please discuss whether either of you suffered from any
psychological or emotional problems during the marriage. Please include details such as the history
of the illness, hospitalization, medication, etc.
21. Is there any other information you would like to share?
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22. Summary Statement: Now that you have completed this form, how would you answer this
question: “In your opinion, why did this marriage fail?”
After giving the above testimony and having read it, I verify the same and swear that this deposition is the
truth. I understand that this act is an ecclesiastical process and is a private church matter which has no effects
in civil law.
________________________________________
Signature of the Petitioner
WHETHER ANY OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN YOUR ANSWERS WILL BE
KEPT CONFIDENTIAL FROM THE RESPONDENT REMAINS SOLELY AND
COMPLETELY THE DECISION OF THE PRESIDING JUDGE IN ACCORD WITH THE
NORMS OF CANON 1598 OF THE CODE OF CANON LAW.
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WITNESSES:
(People who knew the two of you around the time of the beginning of the
marriage, for example, parents, family, relatives, friends). Before listing anyone
as a witness, contact them to assure their cooperation. Initially, witnesses will
be contacted through the mail.
Witness 1:
Name:
Address:
(First)
(Last name)
(Street)
(Middle Name)
(City)
(State)
Residence(
)
(Zip)
Occupation:
Telephone Number:
-
Religion:
Relationship,
to you or other party:
Is This Party
Yes
Willing to Testify?
Did they know you before,
during or after the Marriage:
Witness 2:
Name:
Address:
(First)
(Last name)
(Street)
(Middle Name)
(City)
(State)
Residence(
)
(Zip)
Occupation:
Telephone Number:
-
Religion:
Relationship,
to you or other party:
Is This Party
Yes
Willing to Testify?
Did they know you before,
during or after the Marriage:
Witness 3:
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Name:
Address:
(First)
(Last name)
(Street)
(Middle Name)
(City)
(State)
Residence(
)
(Zip)
Occupation:
Telephone Number:
-
Religion:
Relationship,
to you or other party:
Is This Party
Yes
Willing to Testify?
Did they know you before,
during or after the Marriage:
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If you are planning to marry or have remarried, please give us his/her name.
Please give us his/her marital status (single, divorced, widow/widower).
Single
If divorced, has he/she received a church annulment?
Yes_______________________________________
NOTE:
1.
You may submit any letters, diaries, civil court records, police reports,
agreements, medical records, etc., which would have a bearing on this case.
2.
Annulment cases cost an average of $700.00. The Diocese pays one-half of that
cost and asks the Petitioner to pay one-half. Therefore, the cost for an annulment
proceeding is $350.00, which is payable anytime during the procedure. At the
time you return this completed form, you are asked to pay a retainer fee of
$175.00 (Because of administrative costs, $100 of the retainer fee is nonrefundable.) and $175.00 at the time of final notification. Other financial
arrangements may be made with the Tribunal according to need and circumstance.
3.
We must have a copy of your CIVIL MARRIAGE LICENSE. Contact the
Register of Deeds of the county where you were married.
4.
We must have a copy of your divorce papers, we prefer to have the FINDINGS
OF FACTS OR JUDGMENT section of your divorce decree. If you do not have
a copy of your divorce decree, contact your lawyer or the courthouse where the
divorce took place.
5.
IT IS UNDERSTOOD THAT NO ONE MAY PROCEED TO SET ANY
DATES FOR WEDDINGS OR VALIDATIONS OF EXISTING CIVIL
UNIONS UNTIL SUCH TIME AS THE CASE IS COMPLETED IN THE
AFFIRMATIVE AND ANY RESTRICTIONS ARE FULFILLED. IN
MANY CASES, A RESTRICTION IS PLACED UPON A FUTURE
MARRIAGE CALLING FOR INSTRUCTIONS, CONSULTATIONS, AND
PREPARATION BEFORE A WEDDING CAN BE CELEBRATED.
THE ACTS OF THIS ECCLESIASTICAL PROCESS
ARE A PRIVATE CHURCH MATTER AND HAVE NO
EFFECTS IN CIVIL LAW.
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