Impediments Law and Legal Definition
Impediments refer to legal objections or hindrances to the making of a contract. Impediments which relate to the person are those of minority, want of reason, coverture, and the like. Impediments are sometimes called disabilities. In the civil law, this term is used to signify bars to a marriage. Absolute impediments are those which prevent the person subject to them from marrying at all, without either the nullity of marriage or its being punishable. Dirimant impediments are those which render a marriage void; as where one of the contracting parties is unable to marry by reason of a prior undissolved marriage. Prohibitive impediments are those which do not render the marriage null, but subject the parties to a punishment. Relative impediments are those which regard only certain persons with respect to each other; as between two particular persons who are related within the prohibited degrees.
