Legal Definitions - annulment of judgment

Annulment of judgment is a legal term that means to cancel or revoke a court decision. It is a retroactive action that restores the parties involved to their pretrial positions. There are different types of annulment, including reversal and vacation.

Example 1: A man is convicted of a crime and sentenced to prison. Later, it is discovered that the evidence used against him was obtained illegally. The man's lawyer files for an annulment of judgment, and the court agrees to reverse the conviction and release the man from prison.

Example 2: A couple gets divorced, and the court orders the husband to pay alimony to the wife. However, it is later discovered that the wife was already living with another man at the time of the divorce. The husband files for an annulment of judgment, and the court agrees to vacate the alimony order.

These examples illustrate how annulment of judgment can be used to correct errors or injustices in court decisions. In both cases, the original judgment was overturned, and the parties involved were returned to their pretrial positions.