A type of defense that is good against any possible claimant, so that the maker or drawer of a negotiable instrument can raise it even against a holder in due course. • The ten real defenses are (1) fraud in the factum, (2) forgery of a necessary signature, (3) adjudicated insanity that, under state law, […]
void a. 无效的 合同、契据、交易或其他行为，如果其没有法律效力，或者不具有当事人所意图产生的法律效力，则属于无效。它可以产生附带的法律后果，例如无效的协议可能导致当事人受到处罚，如果当事人之间的协议属于合谋的，还可以作为刑事诉讼中的证据。合同或其他行为是否无效由各个部门法，例如婚姻法、合同法、遗嘱法等，根据各种不同情况和理由而予以规定。如果某一行为或交易中存在无效因素〔vitiating factor〕，例如行为非法〔illegality〕、不道德〔immorality〕等，则该行为或交易自始无效〔void ab inito〕，而不管该无效瑕疵是否在行为成立时即被发现。在英格兰，契据也可以在某些情况下被认定为事后无效〔void ex post facto〕。例如，某一正当达成的契据在事后由于一方当事人的欺诈或懈怠而致契据的实质部分被更改的，则可能导致该契据无效。无效不同于可撤销的〔voidable〕，并且两者的区分在实务中具有重要意义。无效表示绝对不具有法律效力，可撤销则表示该行为既可以被认定为无效，也可以被确认有效。
At common law, an action to replevy a person out of prison or out of another’s custody. • Personal replevin has been largely superseded by the writ of habeas corpus as a means of investigating the legality of an imprisonment. See HABEAS CORPUS.
bargain, n. An agreement between parties for the exchange of promises or performances. • A bargain is not necessarily a contract because the consideration may be insufficient or the transaction may be illegal. See BARGAIN SALE; informal contract under CONTRACT. [Cases: Contracts 1. C.J.S. Contracts §§ 2–3, 9, 12.] — bargain, vb. “A bargain is