diriment impediment

English Thesaurus

1. (canon law) an impediment that invalidates a marriage (such as the existence of a prior marriage) (noun.cognition)

hypernym	:	balk, baulk, check, deterrent, handicap, hinderance, hindrance, impediment,
definition	:	something immaterial that interferes with or delays action or progress (noun.cognition)

domain category	:	canon law, ecclesiastical law,
definition	:	the body of codified laws governing the affairs of a Christian church (noun.group)