Diocese of Covington - Tribunal at P.O. Box 15550, Covington, KY 41015-0550 US - Home

This is the home page for the Tribunal Office of the Diocese of Covington.  It is our desire to assist those seeking information about the mission and ministry of tribunal work. 

It is through the tribunal that the bishop of the diocese exercises judicial authority, i.e., officially resolves disputes and issues binding decisions.  The bishop calls upon the tribunal to investigate and adjudicate matters that come to his attention and need to be resolved according to the norms and procedures established in Church law.

Most of the tribunal's time is devoted to processing petitions requesting a declaration of nullity.  It is the right of an individual to ask for an official decision about the binding nature of a particular marriage.  As a norm, all marriages are presumed to be valid and binding.  However, through the course of 2000 years of history the Church has realized that the human act of giving marital consent can be defective to the point of being ineffective.  The annulment process investigates and settles this matter.

Who needs an annulment?

How do I get started?

How long will the annulment process take?

How much will it cost?

Will my previous spouse have to cooperate?

Will an annulment affect the legal status of my children?

Can my case be expedited (bumped to the front of the line)?

What is a Pauline Privilege?

What is a Petrine Privilege?


Other questions of interest.

How does my separation, divorce, and/or re-marriage affect my membership and participation in the Catholic Church?

Cohabitation:  Should We or Shouldn't We?

Processing Requests for Annulment: the Tribunal’s Modus Operandi