Annulment in Madison County

Reviewed by Stephanie Green · Managing Partner & Co-Founder · Last updated June 11, 2026

Madison County, Ohio · London

An annulment asks the court to declare that a marriage was never legally valid, on limited grounds set by Ohio law (R.C. 3105.31) such as bigamy, being underage, fraud, or incapacity. It is filed in the General Division of the Madison County Court of Common Pleas through the Clerk of Courts and referred to a magistrate.

How do I file for an annulment in Madison County, Ohio?

File a Complaint for Annulment with the Madison County Clerk for the General Division, stating one of the limited statutory grounds under R.C. 3105.31 (such as a prior undissolved marriage, an underage spouse, fraud, force, or incapacity) and filing within the time limits the statute sets. Annulment is referred to a magistrate (C.P. Loc.R. 6.1). The skill's published Clerk schedule does not separately list an annulment deposit, so confirm the current amount with the Clerk at (740) 852-9776; a fee waiver is available by Affidavit of Indigency. Because annulment grounds are narrow and time-limited, most spouses use divorce or dissolution instead.

Ohio Divorce by the Numbers

6 months Ohio residency required before you can file Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3105.03
90 days Residency in the county of filing (venue) Source: Ohio Civ. R. 3
30–90 days Typical time to finalize an uncontested dissolution Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3105.64
1 year Living separate and apart that qualifies as no-fault grounds Source: Ohio Revised Code § 3105.01

Compare Your Options for Ending a Marriage in Ohio

Path	Ends the marriage?	Agreement required?	Best when
Dissolution	Yes	Yes — on every term before filing	Both spouses agree on everything and want the fastest, lowest-cost path
Divorce (contested)	Yes	No	Spouses disagree on property, support, or parenting and need a judge to decide
Divorce (uncontested / default)	Yes	No	One spouse will not respond or cannot be located
Legal separation	No — you stay married	Optional	You need court orders but must stay married (religion, insurance, or benefits)
Annulment	Treated as never valid	No	The marriage was never legally valid (fraud, bigamy, underage, or incapacity)

Where to File: Madison County Court of Common Pleas, General Division

1 N. Main Street, London, OH 43140
Phone: (740) 852-9776
Hours: Monday–Friday (confirm current public-counter hours with the Clerk)
Website: www.co.madison.oh.us/departments/court_system/common_pleas/index.php

Annulment is the right path if…

You believe the marriage was never legally valid.
Your situation fits one of Ohio's limited annulment grounds (R.C. 3105.31).
You are within the time limit to bring the claim.
You want a declaration that the marriage was void or voidable, not a divorce.

If your situation doesn't fit the narrow annulment grounds, a divorce or dissolution is usually the right path. Compare divorce.

Filing Fees

Annulment deposit not separately listed in the skill — confirm with the Clerk at (740) 852-9776 · $100 Special Projects Fund fee on each civil action · fee waiver by Affidavit of Indigency

Forms & Filing Packets

Complaint for annulment (General Division) — Confirm the current deposit with the Clerk at (740) 852-9776

File the Complaint for Annulment stating the statutory ground and the financial affidavits with the Clerk for the General Division. Confirm the current deposit with the Clerk.

Affidavit of Income & Expenses (Ohio SC Affidavit 1) — Income, expenses, and basic financial information. Each party files their own. Must be notarized.
Affidavit of Property (Ohio SC Affidavit 2) — Lists every asset and debt. Required at filing.
Madison County Clerk of Courts (files all DR cases) — The Madison County Clerk of Courts (Erin Bauer), 1 N. Main St., London, (740) 852-9776, accepts all Common Pleas domestic-relations filings. The General Division hears all divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and annulment cases — there is no separate Domestic Relations court.

If annulment doesn't fit — divorce or dissolution

If your situation does not fit the narrow annulment grounds or the time limit has passed, ending the marriage by divorce or dissolution is usually the right path.

Complaint for Divorce Without Children (Ohio SC Form 6) — Opens your divorce case and tells the court what you're asking for. Use when you and your spouse have no minor children together.
Petition for Dissolution of Marriage (Ohio SC Form 17) — Both spouses file jointly, telling the court they have a complete agreement and want the marriage dissolved.

How to File Annulment in Madison County

Confirm you have a statutory ground. Annulment is available only on limited grounds under R.C. 3105.31 (such as bigamy, underage, fraud, force, or incapacity) and within the statute's time limits.
Confirm the deposit. Because the skill's schedule does not separately list an annulment deposit, confirm the current amount with the Clerk at (740) 852-9776.
File the complaint. File a Complaint for Annulment with the financial affidavits at the Clerk of Courts, 1 N. Main St., London.
Magistrate hearing. The case is referred to a magistrate (C.P. Loc.R. 6.1); if the court finds a valid ground, it declares the marriage void or voidable.

Madison County Practice Notes

No separate Domestic Relations court. Divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and annulment are heard by the General Division of the Madison County Court of Common Pleas (Judge Eamon P. Costello) — there is no separate Domestic Relations division. File through the Clerk of Courts (Erin Bauer), 1 N. Main St., P.O. Box 557, London 43140-0557, (740) 852-9776.
Domestic cases are referred to a magistrate (C.P. Loc.R. 6.1). Under C.P. Loc.R. 6.1, domestic-relations matters in the General Division are referred to a magistrate who hears the case and issues a decision. A party may file objections under Civ.R. 53, and Judge Costello then rules on the objections and enters the final order.
Fee waiver if you can't afford the deposit. File an Affidavit of Indigency / Poverty Affidavit (the Supreme Court of Ohio uniform affidavit) with your case. In a divorce, annulment, or legal separation filed in forma pauperis, service is made by posting and mail (C.P. Loc.R. 2.3(B)).

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a legal separation or annulment cost to file in Madison County?: The skill's published Clerk schedule lists the divorce deposit ($450) and dissolution deposit ($300) but does not separately list a legal-separation or annulment deposit, so confirm the current amount with the Clerk at (740) 852-9776 before filing. Both are filed in the General Division. A fee waiver is available by filing an Affidavit of Indigency / Poverty Affidavit; in a divorce, annulment, or legal separation filed in forma pauperis, service is by posting and mail (C.P. Loc.R. 2.3(B)).
Which court handles family-law cases in Madison County?: The General Division of the Madison County Court of Common Pleas (Judge Eamon P. Costello, 1 N. Main St., London) hears all divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and annulment cases — there is no separate Domestic Relations court, and most domestic matters are referred to a magistrate (C.P. Loc.R. 6.1). The combined Probate & Juvenile Court (Judge Christopher J. Brown, 1 N. Main St., London) handles unmarried-parent parentage, custody, support, and parenting time (Juvenile, R.C. 2151.23) and adoptions (Probate). Domestic-relations cases are filed through the Clerk of Courts at (740) 852-9776.
Will a judge or a magistrate hear my Madison County divorce?: Domestic-relations matters in the General Division are referred to a magistrate under C.P. Loc.R. 6.1. The magistrate hears the case and issues a decision; a party may file objections to the magistrate's decision within the time set by Civ.R. 53, and Judge Eamon P. Costello then rules on the objections and enters the final order. Confirm the current objection deadline with the Clerk at (740) 852-9776.
Can I file in Madison County without paying the deposit?: Yes, if you cannot afford it. File an Affidavit of Indigency / Poverty Affidavit (the Supreme Court of Ohio uniform affidavit) with your case. In a divorce, annulment, or legal separation filed in forma pauperis, service is made by posting and mail (C.P. Loc.R. 2.3(B)). Confirm the current procedure with the Clerk at (740) 852-9776.

Related to your annulment case

Spousal Support — Pursue or respond to alimony requests during and after divorce.
Paternity & Custody — Establish parentage and build a parenting plan that protects your children.
Child Support — Calculate, establish, or modify support under Ohio's guidelines.

Related guides

In-depth, attorney-written guides on annulment and related Ohio family law topics.

Divorce vs. Dissolution in Ohio: Which Path Is Right for You? — Divorce and dissolution both end an Ohio marriage, but they work very differently. Dissolution is a no-fault, agreed process; divorce is a lawsuit for couples who can't agree. Here's how to choose.
How to File for Divorce in Ohio: A Step-by-Step Guide — Filing for divorce in Ohio follows a defined path: confirm residency, choose your grounds, file the complaint, serve your spouse, and work toward temporary orders and a final decree. Here is how each step works.

Keep exploring

Ohio Annulment guide — Statewide overview of annulment in Ohio.
Columbus family law — Local attorneys and courts serving the Columbus metro.
Meet Stephanie Green — Managing Partner & Family Law Attorney at Gavvl Law.
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