An attempt to contract for an illegal purpose—to commit a murder or other crime or to facilitate an illegal objective (a promissory note for the purchase of illegal drugs)—is unenforceable and does not create a contract. A purported contract that is found to be for an illegal purpose is void and treated as if it never existed.
In Arizona, as in all states, a contract that is created for an illegal purpose is considered void and unenforceable. This means that if a contract's objective is to commit a crime, such as murder, or to facilitate an illegal activity, such as the purchase of illegal drugs, the law treats the contract as if it never existed. Arizona law, following general principles of contract law, requires that a contract have a lawful object. If the object is illegal, the contract is against public policy and cannot be legally recognized or enforced by the courts. This is to discourage illegal activity and ensure that the legal system is not used to further unlawful objectives.