Opinion ID: 1744621
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Voiding the marriage

Text: At the dependency-neglect adjudication hearing, the trial judge declared the marriage between D.P. and Rodriguez void on the following grounds: (1) misrepresentation of Rodriguez's age under § 9-11-104; (2) the marriage was not in D.P.'s best interest and was incompatible with the goal of reunification with her parents; and (3) D.P., a necessary party to the marriage contract, lacked the mental capacity to enter into the marriage. Porter contends that the trial judge had no authority under Arkansas law to declare D.P.'s marriage void. In Arkansas, we presume marriages conducted in legal form to be valid and the presumption stands until overcome by positive proof. Sims v. Powell's Estate, 245 Ark. 493, 432 S.W.2d 838 (1968). Annulment, like divorce, is a creature of statute and can be granted only upon proof of a statutory ground. See Phillips v. Phillips, 182 Ark. 206, 31 S.W.2d 134 (1930). A circuit court is without authority to grant an annulment for any cause other than one provided by statute. Id.