Originally posted by: mrrman
if they are catholic, go to a priest and get it annuled...this can be done
Religious annulment has nothing to do with an annulment of a legal marriage, and typically take
YEARS to complete. You can get a annulment / divorce through the legal system faster than you can get an annulment from the Catholic church.
Total waste of time, unless she's a devout Catholic (highly unlikely, given the circumstances you describe).
Marriage is a legal contract between two people. Sounds like she fulfilled her role for a year or so, and now he wants to terminate the deal early.
I would contend that they had a legal marriage. Given that, she's entitled to half of the assets accumulated during their relationship. Seeing that you're in California, she's also entitled to alimony. As his spouse, she's entitled to insurance coverage. If she can find a willing lawyer, they could have a field day in court.
Some negative issues to consider though: They are young, so the division of assets might be very small. The cost of litigating a divorce could eat up any potential settlement (I know guys who've spent in the hundreds of thousands in legal fees). Have her talk to a Family Law attorney... most initial consultations are free.