Force Majeure In The Perspective Of The Concept Of Justice In Modern Business Contracts: A Study Of The COVID-19 Pandemic

Tri Eka  Saputra; Muh. Askaruddin Askaruddin; Nurul Qamar Nurul Qamar; Muhammad Kamal Muhammad Kamal

doi:10.55681/armada.v4i3.1910

Authors

Tri Eka Saputra Universitas Mega Buana, Palopo, Palopo, Makassar, Indonesia
Muh. Askaruddin Universitas Tamalatea, Makassar, Indonesia
Nurul Qamar Universitas Muslim Indonesia, Makassar, Indonesia
Muhammad Kamal Universitas Muslim Indonesia, Makassar, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55681/armada.v4i3.1910

Keywords:

Force Majeure, Modern Business Contracts, COVID-19

Abstract

This study is motivated by the tension between legal certainty and justice in the application of force majeure in modern business contracts during the COVID-19 pandemic, when force majeure clauses often fail to protect structurally weaker parties. This study aims to critically examine the concept, application, and interpretation of force majeure in the Indonesian contract law system and reconstruct it as an instrument for correcting injustice that is oriented towards balancing the interests of the parties. The research uses a normative legal method with a legislative and conceptual approach, relying on the analysis of primary, secondary, and tertiary legal materials collected through literature studies and analyzed qualitatively and prescriptively. The results show that force majeure in practice is more often operated as a formalistic exculpatory mechanism than as a means of fair risk redistribution, so that the burden of pandemic losses tends to be concentrated on small businesses and parties with weak bargaining positions. Through the integration of corrective and distributive justice theories, the principle of freedom of contract, good faith, and public policy in times of crisis, this study offers a layered interpretive framework that encourages renegotiation, proportional loss sharing, and protection of vulnerable parties. These findings imply the need to redesign force majeure clauses, strengthen the orientation toward justice in contract dispute rulings, and develop policies that synergize private contracts with social justice objectives. The agenda for further research remains open

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Andrianti, W. P., Santoso, B., & Prasetyo, M. H. (2021). Pandemi COVID-19 sebagai justifikasi force majeure dalam kontrak bisnis. Notarius, 14(2), 739–756. https://doi.org/10.14710/nts.v14i2.43801

Arifin, R., Kambuno, J. A., Waspiah, W., & Latifiani, D. (2021). Protecting consumer rights in the digital economic era: Future challenges in Indonesia. Jambura Law Review, 3, 135–160. https://doi.org/10.33756/jlr.v3i0.9635

Bakung, D. A. H., Muhtar, M. H., & Amer, N. (2022). Comparative analysis of legal policies regarding force majeure during COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia and China. Batulis Civil Law Review, 3(1), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.47268/ballrev.v3i1.721

Dewa, K. K. P., & Rokhim, A. (2025). Klausula eksonerasi dalam e-commerce: Antara kebebasan berkontrak dan penyalahgunaan keadaan. Jurnal USM Law Review, 8(3), 1743–1757. https://doi.org/10.26623/julr.v8i3.12776

Fadlan, M. L., & Fidhayanti, D. (2024). COVID-19 pandemic as an event of force majeure in agreements (Case study of Indonesian court decisions). Al-Iktisab: Journal of Islamic Economic Law, 8(2), 119–138. https://doi.org/10.21111/aliktisab.v8i2.12955

De Freitas Rosa, L. F. (2022). Contratos incompletos e infraestrutura. Revista Simetria do Tribunal de Contas do Município de São Paulo, 1(10), 188–217. https://doi.org/10.61681/revistasimetria.v1i10.153

Houssaini, S. I., & Marghich, M. A. (2022). State of health emergency and survival of the contractual relationship in international contracts.

Irawan, A. D., & Sulistyo, A. Q. P. (2022). Pengaruh pandemi dalam menciptakan ketimpangan sosial ekonomi antara pejabat negara dan masyarakat. Jurnal Citizenship Virtues, 2(1), 251–262. https://doi.org/10.37640/jcv.v2i1.1184

Kahraman, Z. (2022). Contractual performance facing COVID-19: A comparative analysis. Annales de la Faculté de Droit d’Istanbul, 71, 309–348. https://doi.org/10.26650/annales.2022.71.0004

Kamilah, A., Kusworo, F., May, N., & Lestari, R. (2025). Doktrin force majeure dalam hukum perikatan: Implikasi terhadap kontrak bisnis di era digital. Indonesian Journal of Law and Justice, 2(4), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.47134/ijlj.v2i4.3870

Kunarso, K., & Sumaryanto, A. D. (2020). Eksistensi perjanjian di tengah pandemi COVID-19. Batulis Civil Law Review, 1(1), 33–45. https://doi.org/10.47268/ballrev.v1i1.423

Habibah, I. L. (2021). Keabsahan force majeure dalam perjanjian di masa era pandemi COVID-19. Recital Review, 3(1), 64–74. https://doi.org/10.22437/rr.v3i1.11050

Mawanda, M. K., & Muhshi, A. (2019). Perlindungan hukum mitra ojek daring di Indonesia. Lentera Hukum, 6(1), 33–45. https://doi.org/10.19184/ejlh.v6i1.9203

Muhammad, M. O., & Nugroho, L. D. (2021). Perlindungan hukum terhadap pengguna aplikasi e-commerce yang terdampak kebocoran data pribadi. Pamator Journal, 14(2), 165–174. https://doi.org/10.21107/pamator.v14i2.12472

Muskibah, M., & Hidayah, L. N. (2020). Penerapan prinsip kebebasan berkontrak dalam kontrak standar pengadaan barang dan jasa pemerintah di Indonesia. Refleksi Hukum: Jurnal Ilmu Hukum, 4(2), 175–194. https://doi.org/10.24246/jrh.2020.v4.i2.p175-194

Muskibah, M., Yetniwati, Y., Sasmiar, S., & Holish, A. M. (2023). Force majeure during COVID-19 outbreaks: Case of the cancellation and termination of government construction contracts. Journal of Indonesian Legal Studies, 8(1), 129–158. https://doi.org/10.15294/jils.v8i1.68937

Nabhani, M., & Arifin, B. (2025). Rekonstruksi konsep keadilan relasional dalam filsafat hukum dan implikasinya terhadap akad-akad muamalah kontemporer. Cendekia: Jurnal Studi Keislaman, 11(1), 96–120. https://doi.org/10.37348/cendekia.v11i1.704

Nathania, C., & Yuri, N. E. (2025). Pandemi COVID-19 sebagai faktor force majeure dalam kontrak dan implikasinya terhadap kontrak. Jurnal Sosial Teknologi, 5(4), 809–817. https://doi.org/10.59188/jurnalsostech.v5i4.32087

Payuwaha, B. R. (2020). COVID-19 pandemic force majeure (overmacht) in agreements as a form of legal guarantee. Jurnal Scientia Indonesia, 6(2), 157–178. https://doi.org/10.15294/jsi.v6i2.36120

Putri, M. K. (2023). Implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on business contracts implementation. Indonesia Private Law Review, 4(1), 9–18. https://doi.org/10.25041/iplr.v4i1.2920

Rahadi, D. R., & Wardiman, C. (2022). Strategi pemasaran UMKM di masa pandemi COVID-19. Eklektik: Jurnal Pendidikan Ekonomi dan Kewirausahaan, 5(1), 96–110. https://doi.org/10.24014/ekl.v5i1.14713

Rahman, A., Riyanto, T. F., & Istinah, S. R. D. (2022). Juridical review of force majeure clause in credit bank agreements when COVID-19 disaster. Sultan Agung Notary Law Review, 4(1), 89–100. https://doi.org/10.30659/sanlar.4.1.89-100

Ramadhan, S. H., Firdaus, Y. F., Sunlaydi, D. B., & Mierkhahani, R. (2022). Upaya hukum kredit bermasalah bagi bank di masa pandemi COVID-19. Jurnal USM Law Review, 5(2), 523–538. https://doi.org/10.26623/julr.v5i2.5270

Rambe, S. H., & Sekarayu, P. (2022). Perlindungan hukum nasabah atas gagal klaim asuransi akibat ketidaktransparanan informasi polis asuransi. Jurnal USM Law Review, 5(1), 93–109. https://doi.org/10.26623/julr.v5i1.4073

Siombo, M. R., & Adi, E. A. W. (2020). Implikasi Keppres No. 12 Tahun 2020 pada perusahaan pembiayaan. Refleksi Hukum: Jurnal Ilmu Hukum, 5(1), 85–104. https://doi.org/10.24246/jrh.2020.v5.i1.p85-104

Sufiarina, S., & Wahyuni, S. (2020). Force majeure dan notoir feiten atas kebijakan PSBB COVID-19. Jurnal Hukum Sasana, 6(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.31599/sasana.v6i1.209

Suprapti, E., & Tarigan, A. E. (2021). Itikad baik dalam perjanjian: Suatu perspektif hukum dan keadilan. SALAM: Jurnal Sosial dan Budaya Syar-i, 8(1), 147–158. https://doi.org/10.15408/sjsbs.v8i1.19377

Syamsiah, D. (2020). Penyelesaian perjanjian hutang piutang sebagai akibat force majeure karena pandemi COVID-19. Legal Standing: Jurnal Ilmu Hukum, 4(1), 306–313. https://doi.org/10.24269/ls.v4i1.2783

Wibowo, D. E. (2019). Penerapan konsep utilitarianisme untuk mewujudkan perlindungan konsumen yang berkeadilan. Syariah: Jurnal Hukum dan Pemikiran, 19(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.18592/sy.v19i1.2296

Wibowo, M. K. B. (2018). Teori keadilan dalam perspektif filsafat hukum dan Islam. Mamba’ul ’Ulum, 14(2), 27–44. https://doi.org/10.54090/mu.39

Yunita Sugiastuti, N. (2022). Force majeure as a justification for failure to fulfill contractual obligations due to the COVID-19 pandemic: Suspending or terminating contract? KnE Social Sciences. https://doi.org/10.18502/kss.v7i15.12091.