Excuse the eye patch, as I just had retina surgery yesterday. I am surprised at how different the world looks with only one eye to focus—from the depth of the stairway, to the water flowing from the sink, to the words flying out from the computer screen. In other words, there is more than meets
Regional Construction
Slow As A Turtle? Florida Court Finds “No Damages for Delay” Clause Has Limits
My commute home last night took longer than usual. It was not excessive traffic, an accident, or a stalled car. Rather, the cause of my delayed commute was a turtle: one single turtle crossing the road, holding up about 30 cars for what seemed like an eternity. (Never mind the fact that no one got…
Broad Form Lien Waivers No Longer Part of the Game in North Carolina
North Carolina Avenue is one of the hottest properties in Monopoly, says most of my kids. And if you are a contractor or subcontractor in North Carolina, the law makers recently afforded you some additional protections to your lien rights.While many states prohibit prospective lien waivers—that is, an advanced waiver of lien rights usually…
Snapchat This! That Little Green Card is Pretty Important Says One Court
We live in a world of e-mails, IMs, texts, Snapchats, TikToks, Instagrams and the occasional fax. Although information is transmitted instantaneously in today’s environment, proof of receipt of that information (often called “Notice”) remains subject to some very strict rules imposed by contract, case law or statute.
Notice of Claims. In a transportation case involving…
No Longer in the Dark: A Primer on the Distinction between Delay and Disruption Damages in a Construction Dispute
If you are left in the dark about something, you don’t have the information you should have to make an informed decision. Delay claims on a construction can be confusing, especially when you think about the delay to the work being performed and the disruption to other activities. A few years ago, I found a…
Double Take: Court Finds That Contractor Waived Owner’s Past (But Not Future) Payment Obligation Failures
With six kids, not a week goes by that I don’t catch one of them running through the house. In fact, I was on a call this morning when out of the corner of my eye I saw a blur racing down the hall. I did a double take—not knowing which one it was—and whispered…
Contractor’s Alleged Licensing Violation Raises Due Process Concerns in Mississippi
Contractor licensing violations raise serious concerns for all parties. For an owner, an unlicensed contractor may affect financing options on one end and the contractor’s entitlement to recover profits on the other end. For contractors, a licensing violation can have a crippling effect on all projects, the ability to perform, and the ultimate ability to…
Construction Law Summit in Nashville: How to Claim an Invitation!
I have been blogging for over 10 years now. I have spoken at construction and leadership conferences all over the country. Do you want to know my favorite place to speak?
My favorite place to speak is wherever I am. That’s right, I enjoy people-meeting, story-telling, and especially problem-solving. Best Practices Construction Law is…
When Does A Claim for Damages Not Require Notice? When It Is One For Liquidated Damages.
I just blogged about asking for what you want and the importance of complying with notice provisions in pursuing a construction claim. A court in Oklahoma just reminded me that not all claims require notice. Here’s what I mean.
In WinCo Foods, LLC v. Crossland Construction Co., No. CIV-18-175-HE (Nov. 21, 2019) (PDF), the…
The Real Lemon in the Bunch: Understanding Pay-If-Paid Clauses in Construction Contracts
As you may be aware, one of the greatest risks on a construction project involves the payment process. Just like my kids expect to be paid for the lemonade they sell, contractors and subcontractors expect to be paid on a timely basis once the work has been performed.
Contractors have a means of shifting the…