“The Tribunal of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Interdiocesan Tribunal for the Province of Oklahoma City are Church courts. The work of Church Tribunals and the procedures to be followed are specified by the Canon Law of the Church.”

Unlike most other Dioceses, this Archdiocese subsidizes the expense of the tribunal partially through donations to the ADF, creating no charge for its services. Sixty percent of the cases each year involve marriages of two non- Catholics because one of the parties wishes to marry a Catholic and/or wants to join the Catholic Church.  The major portion of the work is processing petitions for annulments, a declaration from a church tribunal that the marriage bond did not and could not come to be. After annulment is granted, then both parties are free to remarry in the Church.

The Church presumes marriage of a man and woman, Catholic or not, as binding until proven otherwise. Cases have different grounds and different processes based on circumstances.  Trained and qualified canon lawyers and support staff with proper equipment are required to sort through the cases. The ADF Appeal keeps the cost from being shared by the couples.

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