SNC-Lavalin America, Inc. v. Alliant Techsystems, Inc.
2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 118312 (W.D. Va. Oct. 13, 2011)

SNC-Lavalin America, Inc. and Alliant Techsystems, Inc. (“ATK”) entered into a contract under which SNC would provide engineering, procurement, and construction services for the construction of a nitric acid and sulfuric acid concentration plant at the Radford, Virginia arsenal operated by ATK. SNC claimed that ATK’s delay in choosing an appropriate acid-resistant concrete for the ground floor and ATK’s denial of SNC’s request for an extension of time for severe winter weather each damaged SNC.

ATK moved for partial summary judgment, seeking to bar, among others, SNC’s claims (1) resulting from ATK’s delay in choosing a material and (2) resulting from severe winter weather.

First Gen. Constr. Corp., Inc. v. Kasco Constr. Co., Inc.
2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 55349 (E.D. Pa. May 24, 2011)

Kasco was the general contractor for a shopping center expansion. Kasco subcontracted the concrete work to First General. The subcontract included a term requiring First General to submit, upon request, releases of liens, with its payment applications. The Contract also required written approval of extra work, timely written notice of claims within ten days of their occurrence, and the submission of written backup information.

Structure Tone, Inc. v. Universal Services Group, Ltd.
929 N.Y.S. 2d 242 (App. Div. 2011)

This action arose out of the construction of a Whole Foods Market in the AOL/Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle in Manhattan. The general contractor, Structure Tone, Inc., (“STI”) retained Universal Service Group (“USG”) to waterproof the market. STI sued USG, claiming that the waterproofing failed on 15 occasions, causing water to leak from the Whole Foods Market into various tenant spaces below. STI undertook to remedy the problem, and as a result, allegedly sustained damages totaling $1.2 million. STI alleged causes of action for negligence and breach of contract, seeking as damages the costs of remediation, loss of profit, recovery of the amounts paid to USG and contract balances not paid by Whole Foods.

Lasalle Group, Inc. v. JST Properties, LLC
2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 83548 (S.D. Mich. July 29, 2011)

LaSalle, as general contractor, obtained a contract for construction of a school building in Gulfport, Mississippi. LaSalle subcontracted the concrete work on the project to Gulf Coast. American Contractors Indemnity Company (“ACIC”) provided performance and payment bonds to support LaSalle’s obligations under the subcontract.

Sloan & Co. v. Liberty Mutual Ins. Co.
633 F. 3d 175 (3d Cir. 2011)

IOC developed a waterfront condominium project in Philadelphia. Shoemaker was the prime contractor for the Project. Shoemaker retained multiple contractors, including Sloan, who was to perform drywall and carpentry work. Liberty Mutual was Shoemaker’s payment bond surety. At completion, IOC refused to pay Shoemaker nearly $6.5 million. Of that amount, $5 million was due to subcontractors. IOC claimed, among other things, that some of the subcontractors’ work was untimely and deficient. Because of this, Shoemaker refused to pay Sloan of the remaining balance due under its subcontract, $1,074,260.

Atlantic City Associates, LLC v. Carter & Burgess Consultants, Inc., et al
2011 U.S. App. LEXIS 9191 (3rd Cir. May 4, 2011)

* Please note that the Third Circuit issued this opinion as a non precedential opinion pursuant to Third Circuit Internal Operating Procedure Rule 5.7.

Atlantic City Associates (“ACA”) hired Carter & Burgess Consultants, Inc. (“C&B”) to oversee construction of a development in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Following numerous delays, ACA sued C&B and obtained a total recovery, including attorneys’ fees, costs and interest, of nearly $13 million. On appeal, C&B argued that the District Court failed to apply several clauses of the parties’ agreement waiving consequential damages, and failed to enforce an additional clause limiting C&B’s total liability to its compensation.

Los Angeles Unified School District v. Great American Insurance Company
49 Cal. 4th 739 (July 12, 2010)

On July 12, 2010, the California Supreme Court filed a ruling significant to public entities entering into contracts for public works projects. In Los Angeles Unified School District v. Great American Insurance Company, the Court held that a public entity “may be required to provide extra compensation if it knew, but failed to disclose, material facts that would affect the contractor’s bid or performance,” even when the failure to disclose information was not fraudulent. Articulating a test modeled after the federal courts’ superior knowledge doctrine, the high court articulated four conditions that must be met for such liability to attach.

Trevdan Building Supply v. Toll Brothers, Inc.
2010 PA Super. 100, 996 A.2d 520 (May 28, 2010)

On May 28, 2010 the Pennsylvania Superior Court filed a ruling that is significant to project owners as well as subcontractors and suppliers. In Trevdan Building Supply v. Toll Brothers, Inc., the Court held that an unpaid supplier had an “equitable lien” on contract funds that the owner had interpleaded into Court; and that the contractor, its bankruptcy estate and its secured bank creditor did not have a cognizable interest in the contract funds because, under the terms of the construction contract, the contractor did not earn the funds until it had both performed the work and paid its suppliers. The Court considered the unpaid supplier’s rights to be so clear that the Court denied the owner’s statutory claim to be reimbursed its attorneys’ fees for filing the interpleader action, stating that the owner was guilty of “delay” and acted “unreasonably” by “ignoring” the supplier’s equitable claim and refusing “to exercise its undisputed contractual right to pay” the supplier (this despite two judges in the same case – the trial judge and a dissenting Superior Court judge – having decided the case differently).

Hartford Fire Insurance Co. v. City of Mont Belvieu
2010 U.S. App. Lexis 14277 (5th Cir. July 13, 2010)

The Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit recently held that a Texas City’s bond claim was time barred under the statute of limitations and equitable remedies based on estoppel were unavailable to revive claims on the bond.

Hartford Fire Insurance Company issued a performance bond for a contractor constructing a public recreational facility for the City of Mont Belvieu, Texas. The bond was a requirement under Texas public work contracts. By statute, the bond was subject to a one-year limitations period commencing from project final completion. The project progressed with numerous delays and changes. However, the City issued a certificate of occupancy in mid-2001, taking possession and operating the facility by July 2002.

At that time, numerous punch list items remained and several subcontractors owed payment by contractor filed claims on a payment bond. Hartford advised the City to be cautious when releasing further payment to contractor. Thereafter, in July 2002, City paid contractor almost $675,000 as an equitable adjustment via a change order. Critically, the change order stated that the project’s completion date was July 19, 2001.

Indianapolis – Marion County Public Library v. Charlier Clark & Linard, P.C
2010 Ind. LEXIS 397 (Indiana, June 29, 2010)

The Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library entered into contracts with Woollen Molzan and Partners, Inc. (“Architect”) for the design for the renovation and expansion of the Library’s facility including its parking garage. The Architect entered into subcontracts with Thornton Tomasetti Engineers (“TTE”) and Charlier Clark and Linard, P.C. (“CCL”) to perform architectural and engineering services. TTE performed structural engineering services and CCL administered various services for the Project, including reviewing and inspecting the construction plans and construction progress to determine if construction was in general compliance with the construction documents. The Library never consulted directly with TTE or CCL.