HOW DOES THE TRIBUNAL DETERMINE IF A MARRIAGE IS INVALID?
The guidelines used by the Tribunal are the gospel teaching of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, and the law of the Catholic Church. Pope Pius XI defined the work of the Tribunal in these words: “to care for the dignity of marriage, to work for the good of persons.” The Tribunal works toward this end by diligently protecting the rights of a man and a woman in a specific marriage, as well as the rights of the Church which has been charged by Jesus Christ to be the guardian of the sacrament of Matrimony. Therefore, the Tribunal upholds the presumption of the validity of a marriage until the contrary is proved.
