Another means of dissolving a marriage is through a civil annulment. A civil annulment can be defined as a means of invalidating a marriage on the grounds that the marriage was not legally in effect in the first place. The process of obtaining a civil annulment is much more arduous than a divorce proceeding. The civil annulment states that a marriage never occurred, must be approved by a judge, must fit within the statute of limitations for the state, and typically does not allow for alimony arrangements or maintenance payments to occur. Child support payments are based on the paternity of a child, which will legally require payment of child support to custodial parent regardless of marital status.