Frustration of Purpose

Frustration excuses performance when the contract’s principal purpose is substantially undermined by unforeseen events.

Representative cases

• Town of Lead Hill v. Ozark Mountain Regional Public Water Authority 2015 Ark. 360 · Supreme Court of Arkansas
• Larson Latham Huettl v. Burckhard 983 N.W.2d 169 · North Dakota Supreme Court
• State v. Howard 2011 ND 117 · North Dakota Supreme Court

Related Excuse & Discharge rules

• Impossibility DefenseObjective impossibility excuses performance when it becomes literally impossible due to unforeseen events.
• Impracticability DefenseImpracticability excuses performance when extreme difficulty or expense fundamentally alters the nature of the…
• Accord and SatisfactionA new agreement to discharge a claimed obligation is an accord; performance of the accord is satisfaction.
• NovationA novation is a substituted contract replacing one party with another, requiring consent of all parties.
• Accord vs. ModificationAn accord is a new agreement for substitute performance; a modification changes existing obligations.

Part of Contracts on Core Legal Rules — foundational MBE-tested principles with primary-source citations.