Contractual force majeure provisions allocate risk of nonperformance due to events beyond the parties' control. A force majeure clause is a type of provision that is often included in a contract.Force majeure clauses allow a party to leave a contract temporarily or permanently, in whole or in part, for catastrophes that were not foreseeable. Force majeure refers to a common contractual clause that––in essence––divests one or both parties of liability in the face of an extraordinary event. The provision, often included in contracts through boilerplate language, is known as the force majeure clause. Many business contracts include a "force majeure" clause. - Roman and French law origins, then to English common law.