Construction Law

  1. Good News for Orange County Contractors

    The chances of a contractor recovering attorneys fees on a public works project got better. The appellate court ruled in Mepco Services Inc. v. Saddleback Valley Unified School District (2010) 189 Cal. App. 4th 1027 in a public works project where a contractor must provide a performance bond under t…Read More

  2. Warning to Contractors with Their Licenses Suspended or Revoked

    SACRAMENTO - A former licensed contractor whose state license was taken away in 2010 was sentenced to four years felony probation and ordered to pay a $2,500 fine to the Workers' Compensation Fraud Account administered by the California Department of Insurance. The May 5, 2011 sentencing of Brian Gr…Read More

  3. Is E-Verify Going to be Required State Wide?

    California contractors should be aware that while the state of California doe not require the use of the federal government's E-Verify Program yet, several California cities do. E-Verify is an Internet-based system that allows contractors and other businesses to determine the eligibility of their em…Read More

  4. Are Written Change Orders Needed to Collect for Extra Work?

    Construction contracts universally contain a requirement that any change order or extra work order be in writing and signed prior to the work being performed. Generally, when project directives are issued that change the scope of work but no formal written change order is issued or amount for the ch…Read More

  6. Required Notice of Mechanics’ Liens to Property Owners

    As of January 1, 2011 all mechanics' lien claimants must give notice of a mechanics' lien to the property owner. Civil Code section 3084 now requires the mechanics' lien to contain the following language: "The following statement, printed in at least 10-point boldface type. The letters of the last s…Read More

  7. Employers Warned of Strict I-9 Enforcement

    On January 20, 2011, John Morton, Director of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement ("ICE"), announced the establishment of an Employment Compliance Inspection Center ("ECIC") in Crystal City, Virginia, near ICE Headquarters. The ECIC will be staffed by 15 auditors who will support ICE's…Read More