illegality

noun

Etymology: From French illégalité, equivalent to il- + legality or illegal + -ity.

1. the state of being illegal

   “The criminal was aware of the illegality of his act.”

   “In Fraenkel’s defiance of mortality and professionalism and his skill in navigating the triple state lay part of the origins of his idea of the dual state. He answered the illegality in the Nazi prerogative state with his own commitment to illegality in both the resistance and even the legal system itself.”

2. a defense to the validity of a contract because it was in violation of the law

   “When sued for refusing to pay for services provided by a prostitute, the customer raised the defense of illegality.”