When the information gathering phase of the process is completed, the parties and their procurators are informed and given a two week period in which they have the right to review the evidence and offer additional data and/or observations regarding the case. The case is then forwarded to the defender of the bond who is required to argue for the validity of the marriage, if appropriate, and to guarantee the rights of both parties and the Church. The judge, or panel of three judges, to whom the case has been assigned will render the decision after a thorough study of all the material.
A decision may be affirmative or negative. An affirmative decision means that the marriage has been declared invalid. A negative decision means that the invalidity of the marriage has not been established; therefore, the marriage is still binding in the eyes of the Catholic Church.
Catholic Church law requires that every affirmative decision which is made by a tribunal be reviewed by an appellate court (tribunal). A new college of three judges can either ratify/confirm the first decision of Stockton or admit the case to a process of gathering additional information after which a second decision is made-ordinary examination.