LANDMARK CASE

Krell v. Henry

[1903] 2 KB 740 · Court of Appeal (UK) · Contract law

At a glance

Citation: [1903] 2 KB 740
Court: Court of Appeal (UK)
Area of law: Contract law
In one line: Yes. The foundation of the contract had disappeared.

1 Facts

Rooms were hired to watch a coronation procession, which was cancelled.

2 Issue

Is the contract frustrated if its purpose fails?

3 What the court decided

Yes. The foundation of the contract had disappeared.

4 Why it matters

Extended frustration to frustration of purpose.

5 Think about it

How is this different from mere disappointment?

6 Analyse it yourself

Read the full judgment from an official source or a law database, then brief it in seven steps: facts, issues, arguments, decision, ratio, obiter and significance. Always check the citation before you rely on it.

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