Impediments

Disabilities or hindrances to the making of contracts, such as coverture, infancy, want of reason, etc. In the civil law. Bars to 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.

Bowyer, Mod. Civil Law, 44, 45.