Annulment in Washington County

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

Washington County, Ohio · Marietta

An annulment is a court declaration that a marriage was invalid from the start, available only on the limited statutory grounds in R.C. 3105.31 — such as underage marriage, bigamy, fraud, force, or incompetence. It is rarely the right tool and is not a substitute for divorce. In Washington County, annulments are filed at the General Division of the Court of Common Pleas through the Clerk's Legal Division, on the same intake as divorce.

How do I get an annulment in Washington County, Ohio?

File a complaint for annulment at the Washington County Clerk of Courts, Legal Division, 205 Putnam St., Marietta, stating the statutory ground under R.C. 3105.31 (underage marriage, bigamy, fraud, force, incompetence, or non-consummation). Ohio has no uniform annulment form and Washington County posts no local template, so the complaint is drafted to the facts — confirm the court's preferred pleading format and the deposit with the Clerk's Legal Division at (740) 373-6623 ext. 2503. Most ground-specific time limits are short. If you don't qualify for annulment, a divorce or dissolution is the right path.

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: Washington County Court of Common Pleas

205 Putnam St, Marietta, OH 45750, Marietta, OH 45750
Phone: (740) 373-6623
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM
Website: washingtongov.org/269/Common-Pleas-Court---General-Division

Juvenile Branch (Never-Married Parents)

Washington County Juvenile Court
205 Putnam St, Marietta, OH 45750, Marietta, OH 45750
Phone: (740) 373-6623
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM

Annulment is the right path if…

Your marriage fits a specific R.C. 3105.31 ground (underage, bigamy, fraud, force, incompetence, or non-consummation).
You're acting within the short time limit that applies to your ground.
You want the marriage declared invalid from the start rather than ended by divorce.
You understand annulment is narrow and rarely available.

If you don't fit an annulment ground, a divorce or dissolution is the correct path. Compare divorce.

Filing Fees

Domestic Relations deposit ($350; some packets print $330 — confirm with the Clerk) · no standard annulment form is posted (confirm the pleading format) · service by publication $750 · confirm at (740) 373-6623 ext. 2503

Forms & Filing Packets

Annulment complaint packet — Domestic Relations deposit (confirm $350/$330 with the Clerk)

Ohio has no standard annulment form — the complaint is drafted to your statutory ground. File on paper with the local financial affidavits and confirm the pleading format with the Clerk.

Affidavit of Income & Expenses (Washington County) — Washington County's local financial affidavit listing your income, expenses, and monthly budget. Required in divorce, dissolution, and legal-separation filings.
Affidavit of Property & Debt (Washington County) — Washington County's local affidavit listing marital and separate property and debts, used by the court to divide assets and obligations.
Certificate of Service (Washington County) — Confirms that the other party was served with your filing, as required before the court will proceed.

How to File Annulment in Washington County

Confirm you have a ground. Check whether your marriage fits an R.C. 3105.31 ground — underage, bigamy, incompetence, fraud, force, or non-consummation — and whether you're within the time limit.
Draft the complaint. Because there's no standard form, draft an annulment complaint to your facts; confirm the preferred pleading format with the Clerk.
Add the affidavits. Include the local Affidavit of Income & Expenses and Affidavit of Property & Debt and a Certificate of Service.
Confirm the deposit and file on paper. Confirm the deposit with the Clerk's Legal Division, then file at 205 Putnam St., Marietta.
Serve and proceed. Serve your spouse (by publication if they can't be found) and present your proof of the annulment ground at the hearing.

Washington County Practice Notes

Annulment grounds are narrow. R.C. 3105.31 allows annulment only for specific defects: underage marriage, bigamy, mental incompetence, fraud, force, or a marriage never consummated. Most grounds carry short time limits. If none applies, file for divorce instead.
No standard form — confirm the pleading format. Ohio has no uniform annulment form and Washington County publishes no local template, so confirm the court's preferred annulment pleading format and the deposit with the Clerk's Legal Division at (740) 373-6623 ext. 2503 before filing.
No separate Domestic Relations court. Divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and annulment are heard by the General Division of the Court of Common Pleas — there is no separate DR division. Two general-division judges preside, Hon. Nicole Coil (Courtroom A) and Hon. John M. Halliday (Courtroom B), and Domestic Relations Magistrate Laura Silwani (ext. 2303) hears many domestic matters. File through the Clerk's Legal Division at 205 Putnam St., Marietta.
Service when a spouse can't be found. If your spouse can't be located, service by publication takes a $750 deposit. If you qualify for in-forma-pauperis treatment and the other party's address is unknown, the court may allow service by posting for six weeks instead (Local Rule 11 / Policy 1 §1.06). Confirm the current procedure with the Clerk's Legal Division at (740) 373-6623 ext. 2503.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between legal separation, annulment, and divorce in Washington County?: A legal separation (R.C. 3105.17) resolves property, debt, support, and parenting issues but leaves you legally married. An annulment (R.C. 3105.31) is a court declaration that the marriage was never valid, on limited grounds such as underage marriage, bigamy, fraud, or incompetence. A divorce ends a valid marriage. All three are filed at the General Division of the Washington County Court of Common Pleas; only the relief and grounds differ. Washington County does not post a separate legal-separation or annulment packet — confirm the pleading format and deposit with the Clerk's Legal Division at (740) 373-6623 ext. 2503.
How much does it cost to file for divorce or dissolution in Washington County?: The Domestic Relations filing deposit is $350, paid to the Clerk of Courts when you file. Some older Washington County packets still print a $330 figure, so confirm the current amount with the Clerk's Legal Division at (740) 373-6623 ext. 2503 before filing. Service by publication adds $750, and a Poverty Affidavit (Affidavit of Indigency) is available if you can't afford the deposit. Post-decree motions to change custody, modify support, or modify visitation are $200 each.
My spouse can't be found — how does service by publication work in Washington County?: If your spouse can't be located, the court allows service by publication in a divorce, legal-separation, or annulment case; the deposit for publication is $750. If you can't afford publication and the other party's address is unknown, the court may instead allow service by posting for six weeks (Local Rule 11 / Policy 1 §1.06) when you qualify for in-forma-pauperis treatment. Confirm the current procedure and deposit with the Clerk's Legal Division at (740) 373-6623 ext. 2503.
Does Washington County have a separate Domestic Relations court?: No. Washington County has no separate Domestic Relations division. Divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and annulment are all heard by the General Division of the Washington County Court of Common Pleas, filed through the Clerk of Courts, Legal Division, at 205 Putnam St., Marietta. Two general-division judges — Hon. Nicole Coil (Courtroom A) and Hon. John M. Halliday (Courtroom B) — preside, and Domestic Relations Magistrate Laura Silwani (ext. 2303) hears many domestic matters.

Free Local Resources in Washington County

Washington County Clerk of Courts — Legal Division. Provides current filing fees, local forms, and filing instructions for custody, divorce, and dissolution cases. Call (740) 373-6623, ext. 2503 (Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM), or visit https://washingtongov.org/269/Common-Pleas-Court---General-Division before filing to confirm deposits and packet requirements.
Washington County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA). Washington County's IV-D agency, (740) 373-9324 (4th floor), opens child-support cases, runs wage withholding, distributes payments, and enforces orders. File a IV-D Application when establishing or modifying support.
"Successful Co-Parenting" Parenting Class — OSU Extension. The court-approved parenting-education class for parents with minor children, run by OSU Extension–Washington County. Meets the second Monday of each month, 3:00–5:00 p.m., at 1115 Gilman Ave., Marietta; $30 in exact cash; pre-register at (740) 376-7431. File the certificate before the final hearing.

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.
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