In Kaohsiung, a recent marriage annulment case shocked the community after a couple discovered they were actually distant cousins. The husband, Ah Hua (pseudonym), and his wife, Xiao Hua (pseudonym), realized the truth after checking their household registration records following their 2018 wedding.
The records revealed that the couple are sixth-degree relatives, with Ah Hua’s maternal grandmother and Xiao Hua’s grandmother being biological sisters. This meant that they share a collateral blood relationship, six degrees apart.
According to the court documents, both Ah Hua and Xiao Hua accepted the revelation without dispute. Ah Hua filed a petition to confirm that their marriage was legally invalid, and Xiao Hua did not contest the claim.
The court ruled that their marriage violated Article 983, Paragraph 1, Item 2 of the Civil Code, which prohibits marriage between close relatives. Because their blood relationship impacts matters such as inheritance and family support, the court determined that the marriage status would create legal uncertainties. With both parties’ agreement, the Kaohsiung Juvenile and Family Court officially declared the marriage null and void.
