Under this argument, the judge could have invalidated the marriage as a blatant fraud on the court, entered into solely for the purpose of defeating the criminal action.

They point to a case in which a federal judge in 2003 invalidated a patent that the University of Rochester claimed covered all pain drugs that worked through a particular mechanism.

A judge subsequently invalidated the election, and the seat became vacant.

To the Editor: "Half-Measures on British Freedoms" (editorial, Nov. 17) suggests that Britain is unlikely to adopt the American model of judicial review and let judges invalidate laws.

The judges also invalidated a rule limiting the assistance to emergencies that occur within seven days of an application for aid.

The judge, Gail D. Ohanesian of Sacramento County Superior Court, sided with two unions representing prison workers and invalidated contracts to move inmates.

Holding back tears and surrounded by microphones and cameras, Ms. Hendrix said she was "thankful and grateful" that the judge did not invalidate Al Hendrix's will.

In 1983 the judge invalidated a Miami ordinance that was intended to regulate cable television broadcasts of "indecent" material.

On Jan. 23, a federal judge in Las Vegas invalidated patents granted to the well-known independent inventor Jerome H. Lemelson for bar code scanners and machine-vision technology.

The judge further invalidated a statute that requires the agency to 'take into consideration general standards of decency and respect for the diverse beliefs and values of the American public'.