Glossary
Frustration of contract
common-law
Automatic discharge of a contract when an unforeseen event makes performance impossible or radically different.
In more detail
The common-law doctrine is deliberately narrow: increased cost or difficulty is insufficient. Civil-law systems address the same problem through force majeure and hardship provisions, which more readily permit adaptation of the contract rather than only discharge.
Related terms
- force-majeure
- hardship
See how this applies to you
Definitions are general. How a term operates depends on the jurisdiction you are in.