Simple English definitions for legal terms
Read a random definition: Bureau of Economic Analysis
Objective impossibility means that something cannot happen or be done because of a fact or circumstance that is out of our control. This can excuse someone from doing something they promised to do in a contract, like if the thing they were supposed to do is no longer possible because it was destroyed or a law now prevents it. It can also apply to criminal law, where a fact or circumstance prevents someone from committing a crime. This is different from subjective impossibility, which is when someone is unable to do something because of their own limitations, and supervening impossibility, which is when something becomes impossible after a contract is made because of unforeseen circumstances.
Objective impossibility refers to a situation where something cannot occur, exist, or be done due to external factors beyond the control of the individual. This term is often used in the context of contracts and criminal law.
These examples illustrate how objective impossibility can excuse performance or prevent the commission of a crime due to circumstances beyond the control of the individual.