Religion: Rota Revolt

For a Roman Catholic couple who want to end a rocky marriage, there has been only one avenue within the church: a decree of nullity. As critics have repeatedly pointed out, that avenue has been tortuous and expensive, often leading from local hearings all the way up to the Sacred Rota, the church's supreme marriage tribunal. In recent years, Pope Paul VI has streamlined the cumbersome process, allowing more decisions on the local level and eliminating the legal delays that could drag a case out for as long as 20 years. But despite Vatican attempts to limit legal fees, costs...

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