[nmh]

Being married to TWO women at the same time IS a problem.

[cwiz24]

I'll say.

[Heartland Mom]

Being married to TWO women at the same time IS a problem.

A religious annulment is a process in the Catholic church. It only affects whether the Church recognizes your marriage - not whether it is legally binding.

Now if you are talking about a secular annulment (which I can't imagine would be the case since the original marriage was obviously consummated because they have children), then yes Kerry would be a bigamist. Is that what you are suggesting?

[steve in DC]

You are treading into an area that is outside legal jusridiction.

Marriage is a legal, binding contract, recognized and registered with the state.

Marriage is also a sacred union, recognized by the Catholic Church.

The legal wheels can turn fairly quickly, enabling the contract to be declared void. Upon the issuance of the divorce decree, the state declares the marriage to be at an end, and both parties are free to pursue their lives, even to entering into another marriage contrat, recognized by the state.

The Catholic Church would view things a little differently.

Divorce is a sin, under canon law. But the Church does recognize the process of annulment (fundamentally declaring that the marriage never existed in the first place).

Technically a Catholic would have to receive an annulment from the Church (a religious nicety that the state doesn't recognize), as well as a divorce from the state (a legal action that the Church doesn't recognize). Technically, the Church recognizes the couple as still married, until the annullment is granted, even if they are divorced.

Re-marrying, before receiving the annulment is a sin, but not a crime.

[BIGLOOK]

But nothing being married to two rich women at the same time cannot solve.....

[no dems]

Even if it's just a "technicality", it would still lodge in the minds of many voters. Go for it. The Dims would.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

Being married to TWO women at the same time IS a problem.

You have no idea!

[airedale]

With a Catholic there are two separations. The first is the civil separation; divorce or annulment. The second is the divorce or annulment under church law. Usually you get the civil action handled first and then work on the church aspect which takes a lot longer. Once you have been civilly divorce or had the marriage annulled you are free to marry again under civil law, however, you can't marry under cannon law until the Church takes action.