the state of nonexistence

a marriage which was void, or voidable, in the first place

An action declaring an assumed marriage to be null, void, invalid and that a lawful marriage does not exist for reasons such as the incapacity of the parties.

Having no legal effect.

The act of legally invalidating marriage; annulment.

In Conflict of Laws, the issue of nullity (known as annulment in the United States) in Family Law inspires a wide response among the laws of different states as to the circumstances in which a marriage will be valid, invalid or null. As in English Law, some classify marriages as either void or voidable; others have no concept of a voidable marriage; still others have a third category of “non-existent” marriage (e.g. Nichtehe in Germany).