diriment

Diriment refers to a concept in philosophy, particularly in scholasticism, that signifies something which is sufficient in itself to dissolve or nullify a condition or relationship. It is essentially an impediment or a cause that prevents something from being valid or effective. For instance, in contract law, a diriment impediment would be a factor that makes a contract void from its inception. This is distinct from a suspensive impediment, which merely delays the effect of something until a certain condition is met. The term is often used in discussions of marriage, where certain conditions, if present, would render a marriage invalid. Examples of diriment impediments in historical legal contexts might include existing marriage, a significant age difference, or a lack of consent. The core idea is that the presence of a diriment factor means the matter in question was never truly valid, rather than it being invalidated at a later point.