The Tribunal Advocate Program
The Tribunal Advocate Program is a group of trained deacons and laypersons who provide canonical counsel to the lay faithful of the Archdiocese of Atlanta seeking a declaration of nullity in our Tribunal. Advocates have a formal role in the canonical trial and work to defend their party’s rights and advance their interests in the marriage nullity process.
How Do I Find an Advocate?
Scroll down to find a complete list of commissioned Advocates and their contact information.
How Do I Become an Advocate?
To become an Advocate, you must complete the Tribunal Advocate Training Program. The course can be completed remotely using a “distance learning” format. The curriculum consists of ten lessons covering marriage law, grounds of marital invalidity and the annulment process. Each lesson contains an exercise to be submitted via email and graded by a Tribunal canonist. Qualified candidates will possess the following skills: organized, responsible, good pastoral/interpersonal skills, strong reading & writing ability, professional demeanor and capacity to maintain confidentiality. Currently, the course is offered in English. We plan to introduce a Spanish language version in 2020.
The application for the Tribunal Advocate Program is now available. Along with your application to the Tribunal Advocate Program, you will need to submit a letter of recommendation from your pastor if you are not already a current Case Sponsor. You will also need to complete the VIRTUS safe environment program and a background check. If you are an active volunteer at your parish, you may have already fulfilled these requirements. To sign up for the VIRTUS program please visit the Archdiocesan Safe Environment Training webpage.
If you have any questions, please call Christine DiMartino, Senior Office Administrator of the Metropolitan Tribunal at 404-920-7509 or cdimartino@archatl.com.
Commissioned Advocates
Below is a list of Advocates commissioned to serve in the Archdiocese of Atlanta. All Advocates have completed an extensive training curriculum covering marriage law, grounds of marital invalidity and the annulment process. If you are interested in petitioning for a declaration of nullity or just wish to learn more about the annulment process, please contact the Advocate in closest proximity to you.
