Appeal to Rota

The Respondents' Appeal to the Vatican Rota

Before the publication of Sheila Kennedy's book, Shattered Faith, very few Respondents were given complete information as they worked with the U.S. Tribunals, about the Appeal process.
SOS works to correct this glaring discrepancy on the part of the Tribunals:
The Rota is an appellate court in Rome, and an Appeal to the Rota will more often result in preserving, or 'saving', the sacrament of marriage. It has been said that 90% of Appeals are successful (i.e. the Respondent has 'saved' her/ his sacrament).
SOS would like the readers of this website to know that both Sheila Kennedy's and Jan's Appeal to the Rota were successful: the Rota overturned the annulment decision (by the Boston tribunal), and validated both women's marriage sacrament.

(The Boston tribunal, as noted in Jan's bio on the 'Contact Us' page of this website, NEVER told Jan. A full three years after the Roman Rota granted Jan's Appeal in her favor, she happened to phone the Boston tribunal and only then did she learn about the positive result of her Appeal. We/ SOS who work with so many other Respondents have learned that this type of attitude toward Respondents "happens" often. It is a disgrace which reflects on Rome.)

SOS recommends that Respondents take advantage of the Appeal process
Addressing the Vatican Rota via an Appeal is a viable and worthwhile way in which Respondents may make a strong statement regarding their belief in the deep value of their marriage sacrament.
Almost every Respondent who has endured the annulment process has told SOS/ RoA&RS that they have gone through a very negative annulment experience. After talking with one of us, they often decide that they will protest the nullity decision via an Appeal to the Vatican Rota.
The Appeal is an important means to confront the injustices being perpetrated on Respondents by the local tribunals in the United States. Rome very often has been far more fair and just in their attitude toward Respondents, than are the local U.S. tribunals.

When the Tribunal of First Instance (the local tribunal) issues a "Decision of Annulment," they should inform you by letter that you have the right to appeal to the Tribunal of Second Instance (SOS recommends that this be directly to the Roman Rota, even though the U.S. tribunals try to keep the Second Instance process within the state of residence.)
The local tribunal should tell the Respondent that either party may file an Appeal within 15 working days upon hearing the decision invalidating the marriage sacrament.
The individual appealing then has one month to pursue this Appeal before the Roman Rota. The tribunal may tell you about the Regional Court, and not mention your right to Appeal directly to the Rota. The local tribunals would prefer dealing with the next higher court in their region where they have more control, rather than with the Roman Rota.

The address of the Roman Rota, which will serve as the Tribunal of Second Instance, is:

Dean, Roman Rota, Piazza della Cancelleria 1, 00186 Rome, ITALY
(We recommend that you check the Internet for the name of the current Dean.)

Costs

1. Most tribunals charge the petitioner $300. to file a petition to nullify the marriage sacrament, while Respondents filing an Appeal to the Vatican Rota are expected to pay $850. to $1000. or more. (Costs vary in different dioceses across the U.S.)

2. SOS/RoA&RS was told by a canon lawyer that it costs the Rota about $10,000. for each annulment-appeal case that comes before the Rota. If this is true, the cost and institutional bureaucracy could be reasons why Appeals to the Rota take so much time.

Rome could save themselves a great deal of cash, better spent on the poor, if they were more vigorous toward quelling the "annulment mill" in the U.S. tribunals.

SOS Support
Educating about the Appeal process is an essential aspect of our work with SOS/RoA&RS. We offer Respondents the Respondents Guide to Catholic Annulment which has detailed information about the Annulment and Appeal processes.
We also offer support, information, and encouragement to any Respondent interested in pursuing the Appeal process to the Rota.

To obtain a copy of the SOS Guidebook free of charge, email the send-in form on the "CONTACT-US" page to Carole B.