What does annulment refer to in legal terms?

Annulment, in legal terms, refers to a decree that invalidates a marriage, stating that it was never legally valid in the first place. This is distinct from divorce, which ends a valid marriage. An annulment essentially treats the marriage as if it never existed, and it can be granted for various reasons, including lack of consent, fraud, or underage marriage.

The focus on the marriage's invalidity is crucial; it signifies that certain legal effects that typically accrue from a marriage do not apply. This can have implications for issues like property division, spousal support, and even child custody, which differ significantly from the processes following a divorce.

Understanding annulment's unique legal standing is important in the context of family law, as it can often lead to different determinations about the status of children born during the union and financial obligations. The other options presented involve different legal concepts that do not pertain directly to the status of the marriage itself.