Why might someone prefer annulment to divorce?

Her name can evoke everything from laughter to lust. But a mention of Pamela Anderson can also trigger some interesting legal questions, especially considering recent developments in matters surrounding a possible divorce from husband Rick Salomon.

According to media accounts, Anderson and Salomon are separated, with both agreed that their latest attempt at marriage has failed. They were first married in 2007, but had the union annulled just two months later. Apparently the couple remarried early last year, but now Anderson seeks a divorce and Salomon is reportedly interested in getting another annulment.

There are a lot of reasons a couple might consider annulment. There is no community or marital property to be divided; and no alimony will be awarded. There is no “marriage penalty in filing taxes” and with an annulment, niether party is responsible for the other’s debts or misdeeds. The reason is, if he marriage is legally annulled, then their really was no marriage. For those same reasons, most commonly, one of the parties objects to an annulment and prefers what a divorce will yield.

The difference in their desires apparently comes down to one thing: money. If Anderson is granted a divorce in California, as she desires, she could receive a substantial portion of her spouse’s reported millions in poker winnings. If Salomon gets an annulment in Nevada, as he desires, it’s very possible that Anderson wouldn’t get any of those gambling winnings (he has reportedly won up to $40 million in the past year).

Obviously, this couple has a few issues to work out, including questions over geography, residency, contents of a marital estate, knowing when to hold ’em and when to fold ’em, and a lot more.

In less media-intensive high-asset splits, there can also be hotly contested issues over business valuation, cash flow, valuation of stocks and pensions and real estate, as well as changes to estate plans that might have previously included trusts or guardianships.

These matters and more can be discussed and worked out in detail with an experienced Las Vegas family law attorney.