Comparative law notes
Although the term "fenômeno da natureza" is fully equivalent in meaning to "act of God", the terms "caso fortuito" and "força maior" are more common in Brazilian contract language. Brazilian law does not differentiate between weather conditions/natural disasters and events caused by human action. Under the Brazilian law, both "caso fortuito" and "força maior" refer to events whose effects could not be prevented or avoided (sec. 393, sole paragraph, of the Brazilian Civil Code). They encompass natural disasters (such as lightning, hurricanes and flooding) as well as human actions (such as strikes, civil unrest and war).
