If my friend's ex-husband refuses to take part, can she still get an annulment?
The short answer
Yes. Either spouse may petition for an annulment, and canon law provides for a respondent who refuses to cooperate: the case can proceed to a definitive sentence without him.
Either party may petition for a declaration of nullity.
Canon law anticipates an uncooperative respondent. Canon 1510 covers a respondent who refuses to accept a legitimately served citation, and canon 1592 §1 allows the tribunal judge to declare the respondent absent and let the case proceed to the definitive sentence and its execution.
For more, Edward N. Peters's book Annulments and the Catholic Church: Straight Answers to Tough Questions is a helpful resource.
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