Construction Contracts Force Majeure In Georgia
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Examples of events that might trigger a force majeure clause into effect include a declaration of war, a disease epidemic, or a hurricane, earthquake, or other natural disaster events that fall under the legal term, “act of God.”
Force majeure clauses typically identify such events as excusable delays, allowing the contractor a time extension. However, these clauses are typically silent as to responsibility for delay costs and additional direct costs that result from the force majeure event.
Commonly referred to as “acts of God”, force majeure events are unforeseeable, exceptional or out with the control of contracting parties. Examples include natural disaster, terrorism, industrial strike action, fire and pandemic/epidemic events such as Covid-19.
There are generally three essential elements to force majeure: • tt can occur with or without human intervention • it cannot have reasonably been foreseen by the parties • It was completely beyond the parties' control and they could not have prevented its consequences.
Clause 19.1 defines a force majeure event as one: which is beyond a Party's control, which such Party could not reasonably have provided against before entering into the Contract, which, having arisen, such Party could not reasonably have avoided or overcome, and.
Contractual Force Majeure Provision—“act of God” An “act of God” provision, frequently included in a force majeure clause, sets forth conditions that, if triggered, permit parties to take actions under a contract, which may include suspending performance or even terminating the contract.
Either Party shall be excused from performance and shall not be in default in respect of any obligation hereunder to the extent that the failure to perform such obligation is due to a Natural Force Majeure Event.
If a contract is silent on force majeure or if the event does not meet the definition of force majeure under the parties' contract, a party's performance may still be excused in certain circumstances under the doctrine of commercial impracticability.
A clearly articulated force majeure clause can protect partnerships by preventing disputes over who is at fault when unpredictable events occur. By addressing risks proactively in the contract, both parties can move forward cooperatively once normal conditions resume.
