But there's little precedent for that argument in court, contract lawyers told HuffPost.
It said that an extensive review since July of its major contracts had not identified any other significant issues and it did not anticipate that the financial exposure of the two court contracts would affect the company's overall finances.
G4S added that it had been advised by the ministry that it did not have any evidence of dishonesty in relation to the court contracts, and nor did G4S.
Courts excuse contract duties when governmental action essentially destroys the original purpose of a contract — and the taxpayers' 80percentt stake in A.I.G. is a more extreme sort of governmental action than usually appears in such cases.
And in any case, Raoul Kennedy, the company's litigator, argued in court, the contract and a previous court opinion gives Fresh Del Monte, not Del Monte Foods, the exclusive right to sell refrigerated pineapple and other fruits, including melons, berries, papayas and bananas "peeled, cut and cored".
Last year, MPs castigated the Ministry of Justice for its "shambolic" handling of the court translation contract, which was given to Capita.
Extended families, close ethnic groups, or local social sets substitute reputation and social sanctions for courts and contracts.
However, they believe if the bill is passed, it could stop US courts upholding contracts – including wedding or adoption agreements – based on religious law.
In some countries, courts enforce contracts insisting that consumers and employees waive their rights to litigate and use the private arbitration system chosen by manufacturers and employers.
But several lawyers said that efforts to limit liability, if not carefully written, would very likely fail in a United States court because contract language cannot override provisions of federal securities laws.
