What doctrine excuses performance when unforeseen events make performance impracticable or impossible?

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When unforeseen events render performance impracticable or impossible, the law excuses performance under the impracticability/impossibility doctrine. The key idea is that performance becomes objectively impossible or extraordinarily burdensome due to events neither party anticipated, so forcing performance would be unfair or essentially impossible. If an event destroys the subject matter, makes performance illegal, or otherwise defeats the contract’s purpose in a way that cannot be mitigated, the obligation to perform can be discharged or suspended. Economic hardship alone usually isn’t enough to excuse performance unless it rises to the level of impracticability or impossibility. Mutual agreement can modify or discharge duties, but that’s a separate route from the doctrine itself.