Opinion ID: 1174442
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: frustration of contract

Text: Before reaching the major issues, it is appropriate that we dispose of a point raised by Emerson in support of the summary declaratory judgment. Emerson contends that it was relieved of any duty to indemnify Mountain Fuel by virtue of the loss of benefits under the St. Paul insurance policy. This approach is essentially grounded on a frustration-of-contract theory which, if adopted, would avoid the necessity of reaching the remaining issues. Emerson reasons that since the parties' agreement provided for indemnity and the maintenance of insurance, [3] and since § 30-28.3 expressly provides that it does not affect the validity of any insurance contract, the loss of such insurance materially affects the parties' agreement on indemnity. Inherent in Emerson's argument is a belief that agreements, indemnifying the indemnitee from his own negligence, are valid under the statute if insurance is provided. While we are not at all sure about the efficacy of that position (see, Crosby v. General Tire & Rubber Co., 5 Cir., 543 F.2d 1128, 1131), we are unable to reach that question in this case. The St. Paul insurance policy  apparently obtained pursuant to the agreement  is not in the record. We, therefore, have no idea what the insurance policy covered, or who were the named insureds. These factors are critical to any consideration of the effect of a loss of such insurance. We will not consider any matter upon which the record is silent. Matter of Estate of Reed, Wyo., 566 P.2d 587, 590; and McCarthy v. Croker, Wyo., 549 P.2d 323, 325-326. Accord, Town of Jackson v. Shaw, Wyo., 569 P.2d 1246.