impediment

Impediment

A disability or obstruction that prevents an individual from entering into a contract.

Infancy, for example, is an impediment in making certain contracts. Impediments to marriage include such factors as consanguinity between the parties or an earlier marriage that is still valid.

West's Encyclopedia of American Law, edition 2. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

impediment

an obstruction to the making of a contract or a marriage by reason of closeness of blood or affinity.

Collins Dictionary of Law © W.J. Stewart, 2006