A legal contract that has no effect is referred to as what?

A legal contract that has no effect is referred to as void. A void contract is one that, for various reasons, cannot be enforced by either party under the law. This may happen due to factors such as the illegality of the contract’s purpose, lack of capacity of one or more parties (e.g., being a minor or mentally incompetent), or if the agreement was entered into based on fraudulent misrepresentation.

While the terms "invalid," "null," and "unenforceable" can sometimes be used in similar contexts, they carry slightly different implications in legal terminology. An invalid contract often implies that it was never valid to begin with, whereas a void contract is explicitly deemed to have no legal effect. Null can also imply an absence of legal effectiveness. An unenforceable contract is one that is valid but cannot be enforced in a court of law for certain legal reasons, which distinguishes it from a void contract that is null from the outset.

Thus, the term "void" is the most accurate descriptor for a legal contract that has no effect, as it captures the essence of the contract lacking any legal standing from its inception.