A formal dissolution of a marriage, as understood in civil law, differs significantly from the Catholic Church’s perspective on marriage validity. The Church views marriage between baptized persons as a sacrament, ideally indissoluble. However, certain conditions existing at the time of the marriage ceremony can be examined to determine if the sacramental union was valid from its inception. An example would be the presence of coercion during consent or a fundamental lack of understanding regarding the nature of marriage.
Investigating potential invalidity is important because, within Catholic doctrine, a valid sacramental marriage provides specific graces to the spouses and establishes obligations. If the marriage is proven invalid, these graces and obligations are deemed never to have existed. This process allows individuals to enter a valid marriage within the Church.