Must All Previous Marriages Be Annulled?

If someone has been married and divorced multiple times, then each marriage needs to be annulled, beginning with the first one.

We need to remember that an annulment does not invalidate a once-valid marriage. An annulment is a decree that a valid marriage never existed.

If he is not a Catholic, then his exchange of vows is presumed to be valid marriage. The first time he exchanged nuptial vows is the presumed valid marriage at this point in time. If the tribunal examines that marriage and finds that it was invalid, that would mean he was truly free to marry at the second time he exchanged marital vows. That marriage would become the presumed valid marriage unless proven otherwise. That marriage would then need to be examined by the tribunal. If it is determined to be invalid, then that means he was objectively free to marry the third time he exchanged marital vows, and that becomes the presumed valid marriage. He would then need to have that marriage examined in order to determine its validity.

Only once all three prior exchanges of marital vows are determined to be invalid would he be free to enter into another attempt at marriage.