Formal Church Petition for a Declaration of Nullity

A Church Petition for a Declaration of Nullity consists of 3 parts:

• Letter of Introduction 
• Frequently Asked Questions 
• Formal Petition Form and Libellus

The Formal Petition Form must be filled out as follows:

• Must be printed as a single-sided document on 8½ by 11-inch white paper
• Must be filled in completely. Incomplete forms will not be accepted.
• Must be filled in using only black ink
• Must include all proper signatures and initials
• Must include the Parish Seal

Along with the Formal Petition Form, the following documents must be submitted:

• Marriage/Divorce decrees.
• Catholic certificates (baptism, profession of faith, marriage) if applicable.
• Previous decree(s) of nullity, death certificate(s), etc., if applicable.
• Any additional information that may be requested by your Case Sponsor
  • All formal petitions must be printed out and mailed to the Metropolitan Tribunal once all of the required paperwork is gathered. Electronic submissions will not be accepted.

Click on the following links to download these documents:

• Letter of Introduction
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Formal Petition Form and Libellus
  • Download the form to fill out electronically (.doc file) *Make sure you are in "Print Layout" mode in order to maintain the correct formatting when printing.
  • Download and print out the form to fill out by hand (.pdf file)

If you have any difficulties downloading or opening these files, please email the Metropolitan Tribunal or call us at 713-807-9286.

For Parishes

Please note that the Formal Petition Form has changed in light of the new Motu Proprio, Mitis Iudex Dominus Iesus. All old versions of the Formal Petition Form will no longer be accepted. Please always download forms from the website to ensure that you are using the most current ones.

If you have any questions or difficulties, email the Metropolitan Tribunal or call 713-807-9286.