Regarding the nearly 100 % rate of declarations of nullity from US tribunals lamented by some: the tribunals of the Catholic Church are obligated to operate on the principle of fumus boni iuris — roughly the “smoke of good law” — which simply means that when a tribunal receives a petition for nullity and it is apparent there is little merit or foundation as to what the Petitioner is alleging — namely, that his or her marriage is or might be null — the tribunal usually rejects or returns that petition.
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