Opinion ID: 2217203
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: was performance excused because of impossibility or impracticability?

Text: West says it was impossible, or at least impracticable, for him to perform the conditions of the option. We recognized the impossibility doctrine in Nora Springs Coop. Co. v. Brandau, 247 N.W.2d 744, 747-48 (Iowa 1976). West now wants it extended to include impracticability as well. Without deciding this issue, we conclude the doctrine is not applicable here. See 17 Am. Jur.2d Contracts, § 402 (1964). Nothing renders this contract impractical or impossible except West's bad judgment. West contends AGI's long delay in building, the dramatic increase in construction costs, and the mortgage foreclosure action all combined to render performance impossible and impracticable. He cites no case authority for this proposition. We find no support for his argument. Impossibility of performance refers to extraordinary circumstances which could not have been anticipated and which arise without fault on the part of the one seeking to avoid performance. Those conditions are not present in this case. The matters about which West complains were reasonably to be anticipated and could easily have been guarded against by the parties. Cf. Powers v. Siats, 70 N.W.2d 344, 348-49 (Minn.1955) (fact that performance becomes economically burdensome does not excuse performance unless caused by some unforeseen contingency which alters the essential nature of the performance). West relies on sections 402, 404, and 405 in 17 Am.Jur.2d Contracts (1964). These sections, together with section 406, help AGI more than West. We reject his argument raised in this division.