An Act of God is a natural force outside of human control (such as an earthquake, tsunami, or hurricane), and may relieve a party or parties to a contract or agreement from having to perform their obligations. Such Acts of God are often addressed in a force majeure clause, which typically appears near the end of the contract or agreement. A force majeure clause may also excuse a party's performance of its obligations for other reasons beyond its control, such as unavailability of products, riots, civil unrest, pandemics, and terrorism.

In Oregon, as in many jurisdictions, an 'Act of God' refers to an unforeseen natural event that is beyond human control, such as natural disasters. These events can potentially relieve parties from their contractual obligations if they prevent performance. This concept is often encapsulated in a 'force majeure' clause within contracts. Oregon courts typically enforce force majeure clauses according to their terms, which means that the specific language of the clause will dictate whether a party's performance can be excused and under what circumstances. In addition to natural disasters, force majeure clauses may cover a range of other events that could impede contractual obligations, including but not limited to pandemics, riots, and terrorism. It is important for parties to a contract to carefully review and understand the force majeure clause, as it will determine their rights and obligations in the event of such extraordinary circumstances.