Marriage Annulled: Wife Forged Witness Signatures on Marriage Certificate

In a surprising turn of events, a marriage in Hsinchu has been declared null and void by the court, stemming from a dispute over the validity of the marriage registration itself. The case highlights a critical legal requirement for marriage in Taiwan: the personal attestation of witnesses.

The petitioner, identified as Mr. Chen, sought to annul his marriage of just two months to Ms. Chang. His primary argument rested on the assertion that Ms. Chang had forged the signatures of two witnesses on the marriage registration document. Mr. Chen claimed he did not know these witnesses and that they were not present when the marriage document was prepared. He further alleged that Ms. Chang unilaterally filled in their names and proceeded with the registration at the household registration office.

Ms. Chang, however, contested these claims, stating that Mr. Chen was fully aware of the process and even initiated the marriage. She asserted that they later visited the witnesses in Taitung as a couple and received their blessings. The crux of the legal battle, however, lay in the witnesses' testimony. The court found that the witnesses admitted to signing the document but did not personally witness Mr. Chen and Ms. Chang's intent to marry at the time of signing. As per Taiwan's Civil Code, witnesses must personally observe and confirm the couple's intention to marry for the registration to be legally valid. Consequently, the court ruled the marriage invalid, effectively nullifying Mr. Chen's obligation to pay the NT$1.08 million in remaining marital assets that Ms. Chang had demanded.