The formal process has four basic stages. The person who makes the application is called the petitioner. He or she speaks with a pastoral minister in the parish and fills out an application. The pastoral minister sends the application to the Tribunal. The Tribunal staff decides the nature of the case and sends a comprehensive questionnaire to the petitioner.
Special instructions accompany the questionnaire explaining how to complete it.
The petitioner is assigned an advocate to assist them in completing this questionnaire. The questionnaire includes a witness list and instructions about the number of witnesses and who can qualify. The best witnesses are those who knew the parties prior to the wedding and during the early years of the marriage. When the petitioner returns the questionnaire, the investigation begins. The Tribunal contacts the former spouse who is called the respondent and later the witnesses.