Forms & Resources

The forms found on this page are designed to assist priests, deacons and parish staff members submitting petitions to the tribunal.

If you are seeking to submit a petition for yourself, please work with a case specialist who will help you select the correct kind of petition, and will work with you to prepare it.

If you are a parish minister who is not a case specialist, please review our guidelines for how you can assist your parishioners.

1. Formal Case

In a formal case, the consent at the time of the wedding is examined to determine if it was invalid, according to the Church's understanding of marriage.

These cases must be submitted through a case specialist.

• Petition form for a formal case
• Preliminary questions (without validation)
• Preliminary questions (with validation)
• Required civil and church documents
• Attempts to locate respondent if the address is unknown
• Understanding Your Marriage booklet
• Appeal form to appeal against a sentence

2. Lack of Form

In a lack of form case, typically one or both parties was Catholic but the wedding was celebrated civilly or only in a non-Catholic religion, and without any permission or dispensation from the Catholic Church.

• Petition form for lack of form cases

3. Pauline Privilege

As a result of a Pauline Privilege petition, a non-sacramental marriage between two unbaptized people is dissolved if the one petitioning intends to be baptized (or was baptized after the first wedding) and now intends to marry again.

These cases must be submitted through a case specialist.

• Petition form for Pauline privilege cases

4. Favor of the Faith

In a Favor of the Faith petition (sometimes called a 'Petrine Privilege'), a non-sacramental marriage where at least one party was not baptized is dissolved by the Pope, for the benefit of someone being able to practice the Catholic faith.

These cases must be submitted through a case specialist.

• Petition form for favor of the faith cases

5. Ligamen a.k.a. prior bond

In a ligamen or prior bond case, one party was unable to marry validly because of a previous, presumed valid marriage to someone else.

These cases must be submitted through a case specialist.

• Petition form for a ligamen cases

Full Listing of Forms and Resources