Your case is filed with the Regional Trial Court of San Pedro
Petitions for declaration of nullity and for annulment are filed with the Regional Trial Court of San Pedro in the province of Laguna, provided you or your spouse has resided in San Pedro for at least six months before filing. Venue turns on residence, not on where you were married.
What matters locally
San Pedro is the gateway city of Laguna, just south of Metro Manila. Because it is in Laguna, not Metro Manila, residents file with the Laguna court in San Pedro, based on the six-month residency rule.
What actually happens, in order
- Case build-up — facts, documents, and, for an Article 36 case, the psychological evaluation;
- Filing with the court and payment of docket fees;
- Service of summons on the respondent, by publication where they are abroad;
- Prosecutor's investigation for collusion, required in every case;
- Trial, then decision, finality, and annotation with the civil registrar and the PSA.
Timeline and cost, honestly
An uncontested petition commonly runs one to three years to a registered annotation. Cost is driven by the psychological evaluation, publication, and docket fees. See the full picture on our annulment hub, and estimate the total with the annulment cost calculator.
Elsewhere in Metro Manila
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Frequently asked
Where do I file for annulment if I live in San Pedro, Laguna?
With the Regional Trial Court of San Pedro, in the province of Laguna, provided you or your spouse has resided there for at least six months. Even though San Pedro borders Metro Manila, it is a Laguna venue.
How long does an annulment take?
For an uncontested petition, commonly one to three years from filing to a registered PSA annotation. The largest variables are service of summons on the respondent, the court's docket, the prosecutor's investigation for collusion, and whether the decision is appealed by the State.
Is the case over once the court grants the petition?
Not for your records. The decision must become final and then be registered and annotated with the local civil registrar and the PSA before your civil status changes. Until that annotation appears, you are still considered married.