When a structure with an in-plane discontinuous frame is used, a discontinuous load path is formed due to the irregularity. This is continuous load path can lead to the failure of certain elements and the structure as a whole when the structure is exposed to lateral loading. In this study, an in-plane discontinuous frame structure is exposed to gravity as well as lateral loading due to which a discontinuous load path is formed. Due to the discontinuous load path, higher value of axial load is developed on a beam which is generally designed considering it as a flexural member. The main objective of this thesis is to determine if the beam can be designated as the critical member in the in-plane discontinuous frame and the comparison of the critical element with the corresponding element in a frame that has no structural irregularities. The objective is also to design the critical member considering it as a beam-column element considering the combined effect of bending and compression.