A contract that is defective or breached can be described as which of the following?

The appropriate characterization of a contract that is defective or breached is that it can be described as void or voidable.

A contract that is void is one that is not legally enforceable from the moment it is created. This might occur due to reasons such as lack of capacity, illegal subject matter, or absence of essential elements of a contract. On the other hand, a voidable contract is one that is valid and enforceable, but one of the parties has the option to void it due to certain circumstances, such as misrepresentation or undue influence. In situations of breach, the innocent party often has the option to either affirm the contract or treat it as voidable by opting to terminate it and seek damages.

This duality of void and voidable precisely describes the range of outcomes available to parties dealing with a defective or breached contract, demonstrating that while a contract can start as valid, breaches can lead to its potential voiding. Thus, the accurate answer reflects the legal nuances that arise in these scenarios.