Protection of Personal Rights in the Context of Canonical Proceedings for Nullity of Marriage

Article demonstrate that secrecy of the canonical process and the constitutional guarantee of autonomy and state allowed to the Catholic Church do not preclude the possibility of seeking protection of personal rights breached at a state forum in the canonical process of declaring nullity of a marriage. It specifies evidence limitations that result from the provisions of canon law. Copies and transcripts from case files are not issued in the canonical proceeding. The only documents that the party has at its disposal will be a copy of the claim and the sentence. The author analyses the provisions of canon law and common law to demonstrate that the request by state organs of case files in canonical process will evidence a breach of the principle of the autonomy and independence of the Catholic Church. Furthermore, the author presents the conditions that a breach must meet in order to be considered unlawful.