Am Jur 2d - Contracts § 632

VI. Performance or Breach, F. Excuses for Nonperformance, 1. In General, § 632 - When nonperformance may be excused

One who agrees to do, for a fixed sum, a thing possible to be performed, will not be excused or become entitled to additional compensation because unforeseen difficulties are encountered.[1] Nonperformance of a valid contract is a breach[2] unless the person charged shows some valid reason which may excuse the nonperformance,[3] and the burden of doing so rests upon the person charged with breach.[4]

Observation:

A prerequisite to the remedy of excuse of performance is that the covenants in a contract must be mutually dependent promises.[5]

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1 Dugan & Meyers Constr. Co., Inc. v. Ohio Dept. of Adm. Servs., 113 Ohio St. 3d 226, 2007-Ohio-1687, 864 N.E.2d 68, 218 Ed. Law Rep. 673 (2007) ; El Paso Field Services, L.P. v. MasTec North America, Inc., 389 S.W.3d 802 (Tex. 2012) .

2 Cater v. Barker, 172 N.C. App. 441, 617 S.E.2d 113 (2005) , aff'd, 360 N.C. 357, 625 S.E.2d 778 (2006) .

3 Christopher Village, L.P. v. U.S., 360 F.3d 1319 (Fed. Cir. 2004) ; Cater v. Barker, 172 N.C. App. 441, 617 S.E.2d 113 (2005) , aff'd, 360 N.C. 357, 625 S.E.2d 778 (2006) .

4 Cater v. Barker, 172 N.C. App. 441, 617 S.E.2d 113 (2005) , aff'd, 360 N.C. 357, 625 S.E.2d 778 (2006) .

5 Chambers v. Hunt Petroleum Corp., 320 S.W.3d 578 (Tex. App. Tyler 2010) .

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