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    Construction Expert Witness Builders Information
    Clayton County, Iowa

    Iowa Builders Right To Repair Current Law Summary:

    Current Law Summary: Case law precedent


    Construction Expert Witness Contractors Licensing
    Guidelines Clayton County Iowa

    Licensing for plumbers and electricians is done at the local level. No state license for general contracting, however, all businesses must register with the state.


    Construction Expert Witness Contractors Building Industry
    Association Directory
    Dubuque IndependentChapter of National Associated Home Builders
    Local # 1640
    12230 Forest Meadow
    Dubuque, IA 52001


    Home Builders Association of NE Iowa
    Local # 1614
    PO Box 1857
    Waterloo, IA 50704


    Home Builders Association of Greater Siouxland
    Local # 1684
    3900 Stadium Drive
    Sioux City, IA 51106
    http://www.homebuildersassociationofgreatersiouxland.com

    Fort Dodge Chapter of National Associated Home Builders
    Local # 1656
    110 S 21st St
    Fort Dodge, IA 50501


    Home Builders Association of Gr Cedar Rapids Area
    Local # 1621
    350 Miller Rd Ste1
    Hiawatha, IA 52233
    http://www.crhba.org

    Home Builders Association of Ames
    Local # 1607
    PO Box 864
    Ames, IA 50010
    http://www.ameshomebuilders.com

    Northwest Iowa Home Builders Association
    Local # 1680
    PO Box 331
    Spirit Lake, IA 51360



    Construction Expert Witness News and Information
    For Clayton County Iowa

    Court Strikes Down Reasonable Construction Defect Settlement

    Home Builder Doesn’t See Long Impact from Hurricane

    David McLain to Speak at the CDLA 2012 Annual Conference

    Ensuing Loss Provision Does Not Salvage Coverage

    Ninety-Day Extension Denied to KB Home in Construction Defect Insurance Claim

    2011 Worst Year Ever for Home Sales

    Hovnanian Sees Second-Quarter Profit, Points to Recovery

    North Carolina Exclusion j(6) “That Particular Part”

    Faulty Workmanship Causing Damage to Other Property Covered as Construction Defect

    After $15 Million Settlement, Association Gets $7.7 Million From Additional Subcontractor

    Florida Construction Defect Case Settled for $3 Million

    Boston Tower Project to Create 450 Jobs

    Architect Not Responsible for Injuries to Guests

    Australian Developer Denies Building Problems Due to Construction Defects

    Claims Under Colorado Defect Action Reform Act Count as Suits

    Court Rejects Anti-SLAPP Motion in Construction Defect Suit

    Architect Not Liable for Balcony’s Collapse

    Save a Legal Fee: Prevent Costly Lawsuits With Claim Limitation Clauses

    Construction Defects: 2010 in Review

    Coverage Rejected Under Owned Property and Alienated Property Exclusions

    Can Negligent Contractors Shift Blame in South Carolina?

    Construction Employment Rises in Half of the States

    Construction Law: Unexpected, Fascinating, Bizarre

    Bill Seeks to Protect Legitimate Contractors

    Bar to Raise on Green Standard

    Tenth Circuit Finds Insurer Must Defend Unintentional Faulty Workmanship

    HOA Has No Claim to Extend Statute of Limitations in Construction Defect Case

    Homebuilders Go Green in Response to Homebuyer Demand

    Connecticut Gets Medieval All Over Construction Defects

    Housing Market on Way to Recovery

    OSHA Extends Temporary Fall Protection Rules

    Construction Defects and Contractor-Owners

    Pictorial Construction Terminology Dictionary — A Quick and Helpful Reference

    Residential Construction: Shrinking Now, Growing Later?

    Condominium Exclusion Bars Coverage for Construction Defect

    Webinar on Insurance Disputes in Construction Defects

    No Coverage for Property Damage That is Limited to Work Completed by Subcontractor

    Gilroy Homeowners Sue over Leaky Homes

    Ohio Court Finds No Coverage for Construction Defect Claims

    Window Manufacturer Weathers Recession by Diversifying

    Utah Construction Defect Claims Dependant on Contracts

    Arizona Homeowners Must Give Notice of Construction Defect Claims

    Virginia Chinese Drywall and pollution exclusion

    South Carolina Law Clarifies Statue of Repose

    Construction Worker Dies after Building Collapse

    Arizona Court of Appeals Rules Issues Were Not Covered in Construction Defect Suit

    Coverage for Construction Defects Barred by Business Risk Exclusions

    Construction Defect Journal Seeks Article Submissions Regarding SB800 and Other Builders Right to Repair Laws

    California Lawyer Gives How-To on Pursuing a Construction Defect Claim

    The Montrose Language Interpreted: How Many Policies Are Implicated By A Construction Defect That Later Causes a Flood?

    Harsh New Time Limits on Construction Defect Claims

    School District Marks End of Construction Project by Hiring Lawyers

    Another Colorado District Court Refuses to Apply HB 10-1394 Retroactively

    Granting Stay, Federal Court Reviews Construction Defect Coverage in Hawaii

    Nevada Construction Defect Lawyers Dead in Possible Suicides

    All Risk Policy Only Covers Repair to Portion of Dock That Sustains Damage

    Arbitration Clause Not Binding on Association in Construction Defect Claim

    Mobile Home Owners Not a Class in Drainage Lawsuit

    Manhattan Developer Breaks Ground on $520 Million Project

    There Is No Non-Delegable Duty on the Part of Residential Builders in Colorado

    High School Gym Closed by Construction Defects

    Loss Caused by Seepage of Water Not Covered

    Insurer Able to Refuse Coverage for Failed Retaining Wall

    General Contractors Must Plan to Limit Liability for Subcontractor Injury

    Insurer Has Duty to Defend Despite Construction Defects

    Recent Case Brings Clarity and Questions to Statute of Repose Application

    Lower Court “Eminently Reasonable” but Wrong in Construction Defect Case

    Florida trigger

    Certificate of Merit to Sue Architects or Engineers Bill Proposed

    Water Drainage Case Lacks Standing

    Battle of “Other Insurance” Clauses

    Pennsylvania Court Extends Construction Defect Protections to Subsequent Buyers

    Contractors Admit Involvement in Kickbacks

    Cleveland Condo Board Says Construction Defects Caused Leaks

    Construction Defects Are Occurrences, Says Georgia Supreme Court

    Ensuing Loss Provision Does Not Salvage Coverage

    Public Relations Battle over Harmon Tower

    Judge Concludes Drywall Manufacturer Sold in Florida

    Washington Court of Appeals Upholds Standard of Repose in Fruit Warehouse Case

    Boyfriend Pleads Guilty in Las Vegas Construction Defect Scam Suicide

    Homebuilding on the Rise in Nation’s Capitol

    Preparing For the Worst with Smart Books & Records

    Florida trigger

    Delays in Filing Lead to Dismissal in Moisture Intrusion Lawsuit

    Construction Defects in Home a Breach of Contract

    Are Construction Defects Covered by Your General Liability Policy?

    Micropiles for bad soil: a Tarheel victory

    District Court Awards Summary Judgment to Insurance Firm in Framing Case

    The Colorado Court of Appeals Rules that a Statutory Notice of Claim Triggers an Insurer’s Duty to Defend.

    Park District Sues over Leaky Roof
    Corporate Profile

    CLAYTON COUNTY IOWA CONSTRUCTION EXPERT WITNESS
    DIRECTORY AND CAPABILITIES

    Leveraging from more than 5500 construction defect and claims related expert witness designations, the Clayton County, Iowa Construction Expert Witness Group provides a wide range of trial support and consulting services to Clayton County's most acknowledged construction practice groups, CGL carriers, builders, owners, and public agencies. Drawing from a diverse pool of construction and design professionals, BHA is able to simultaneously analyze complex claims from the perspective of design, engineering, cost, or standard of care.

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    Construction Expert Witness News & Info
    Clayton County, Iowa

    Colorado Statutes of Limitations and Repose, A First Step in Construction Defect Litigation

    December 20, 2012 — CDJ Staff

    Grund Dagner, a law firm operating in Denver and Boulder, Colorado notes on their blog that when defending a construction defect claim, one of their first steps is to determine if the claims are affected by the statutes of limitations or repose, and that they “have had much success raising these defenses with the court before trial.”

    Colorado has a two-year statute of limitations, starting from when the homeowner discovers the defect. Further, Colorado’s statute of repose precludes lawsuits beginning “more than six years after the substantial completion of the improvement to the real property.”

    Grund Dagner notes that they “recently obtained dismissal of claims related to eight of 22 buildings in a condominium project, where the homeowners in those building observed the defects more than two years before the HOA initiated its claims against our client.”

    Read the full story…


    Preparing For the Worst with Smart Books & Records

    November 7, 2012 — Douglas Reiser, Builders Counsel

    Contractors are often too caught up in keeping the wheel of business churning to recognize deficiencies in how their records are managed. Working hard and working often tend to leave little time for consideration of your documents. But all too often I see the unthinkable, a contractor gets into trouble and has to call on its surety for help. At that point, you might finally get your first dose of reality about your records ?Äì and it can cost you.

    Read the full story…

    Reprinted courtesy of Douglas Reiser of Reiser Legal LLC. Mr. Reiser can be contacted at info@reiserlegal.com


    Will They Blow It Up?

    March 28, 2012 — CDJ Staff

    The issues concerning the Harmon Towers building in Las Vegas continue to make their way through the courts. As we noted in a previous piece, Cook County building officials stated that the building could be a hazard if Las Vegas were struck by an earthquake. The question of whether the building will continue to stand is just one of the issues in front of a judge.

    MGM Resorts International argued at a March 13 hearing for permission to implode the Harmon hotel building. They claim that more than 1,700 defects have been discovered in the building and that the building is a public safety hazard. Arguing against demolition, Perini Building Company, the general contractor for the hotel, and its subcontractors are claiming that imploding the building would destroy evidence and prejudice juries in the ongoing construction defect claims. They claim that MGM Resorts wishes to abandon the building due to the economic slowdown. Perini Corp, the contractor for the project, claims that the building can be fixed. Perini claims that MGM’s position in the construction trial would be improved if the building is demolished.

    After Judge Elizabeth Gonzalez heard the four days of testimony on the Harmon Towers building and whether it should be demolished, she scheduled more testimony, with two days in April and an entire week in July. Judge Gonzalez will be deciding whether the building will be torn down, imploded, or left in place.

    Read the full story…

    Read the full story…


    Timing of Insured’s SIR Payment Has No Effect on Non-Participating Insurer’s Equitable Contribution to Co-Insurer

    April 25, 2012 — Aarti Kewalramani, Gatzke Dillon & Balance LLP

    In a case of first impression, the California Court of Appeal, Fourth District, Division One, examined whether a non-participating insurer can evade its defense and indemnity obligations because the insured only paid the policy’s self-insured retention ("SIR") as part of a settlement. In Axis Surplus Lines Insurance Company v. Glencoe Insurance LTD. (April 11, 2012, D058963) __ Cal.App.4th __ [2012 WL 11903203], the critical issue for the Court was whether an insurer, with full notice and continued investigation of a claim, can "hide behind the SIR requirement in its policy." The Court declined to "sanction such gamesmanship."

    The dispute involved an equitable contribution claim between two insurers. Axis Surplus Insurance Company provided commercial general liability insurance to Pacifica Pointe L.P. During the same time period, Glencoe Insurance Ltd. provided an owner-controlled insurance policy (i.e., wrap policy) to Pacifica Pointe L.P. Both policies included provisions requiring co-carriers to split the defense and indemnity on equal shares. Pacifica was sued in a construction defect lawsuit, involving alleged resultant damages to condominiums it converted and sold. Pacifica tendered the claim to both Axis and Glencoe. While Axis agreed to defend Pacifica, subject to a reservation of rights, Glencoe declined to participate until Pacifica satisfied the $250,000 SIR on the policy. Glencoe continued to monitor the litigation from the sidelines.

    Axis and Pacifica settled the underlying construction defect lawsuit for $1 million. Pacifica advised Glencoe of the settlement, and received Glencoe’s approval to contribute its $250,000 SIR towards the settlement. Axis contributed $750,000 towards the settlement. After the settlement, Axis sued Glencoe for declaratory relief and equitable contribution, to recover a portion of the defense and indemnity it paid. The trial court found in favor of Axis and allocated Glencoe 60% of the settlement payment. Glencoe appealed.

    On appeal, the Court scrutinized whether Glencoe, as the non-participating insurer, had a legal obligation to provide a defense and indemnity to the insured, despite the timing of the SIR’s satisfaction. The Court determined that in an equitable contribution action, the participating insurer has the burden of proving merely the potential for coverage under the non-participating insurer’s policy. On this showing, the burden of proof shifts to the non-participating insurer to prove the absence of actual coverage under its policy. The Court emphasized that the timing of the SIR’s payment was inconsequential to either insurer’s burden. Because Glencoe admitted coverage existed under its policy, the Court affirmed the trial court’s decision.

    As a result, the result ultimately turned on whether the non-participating carrier had full notice of the claim and cannot use the timing of the satisfaction of the SIR to shield itself from an equitable contribution claim from the participating co-carrier.

    Published courtesy of Aarti Kewalramani of Gatzke Dillon & Balance LLP. Ms. Kewalramani can be contacted at akewalramani@gdandb.com.


    The U.S. Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals Rules on Greystone

    November 18, 2011 — Derek J. Lindenschmidt, Higgins, Hopkins, McLain & Roswell, LLC

    On November 1, 2011, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on the certified question of whether property damage caused by a subcontractor’s faulty workmanship is an “occurrence” for purposes of a commercial general liability (CGL) insurance policy. In Greystone Const., Inc. v. National Fire & Marine Ins. Co., No. 09-1412 (10th Cir. Nov. 1, 2011), the Tenth Circuit determined that because damage to property caused by poor workmanship is generally neither expected nor intended, it may qualify under Colorado law as an occurrence and liability coverage should apply. Id. at 2.

    The short history of the Greystone case is as follows. In Greystone Const., Inc. v. National Fire & Marine Ins. Co., 649 F. Supp. 2d 1213 (D. Colo. 2009), two contractors and one of their insurers brought an action against a second insurer after the second insurer refused to fund the contractors’ defense in construction defect actions brought by separate homeowners. Id. at 1215. The U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado, relying on General Sec. Indem. Co. of Arizona v. Mountain States Mut. Cas. Co., 205 P.3d 529 (Colo. App. 2009), granted summary judgment in favor of the second insurer on the basis that the homeowners’ complaints did not allege accidents that would trigger covered occurrences under the second insurer’s policies. Id. at 1220. Notably, the Greystone, General Security, and other similar decisions prompted the Colorado General Assembly to enact C.R.S. § 13-20-808, which was designed to provide guidance for courts interpreting perceived coverage conflicts between insurance policy provisions and exclusions. The statute requires courts to construe insurance policies to favor coverage if reasonably and objectively possible. C.R.S. § 13-20-808(5).

    The Tenth Circuit began its analysis by determining whether C.R.S. § 13-20-808, which defines the term “accident” for purposes of Colorado insurance law, would have a retroactive effect, and thereby settle the question before the court. The Tenth Circuit gave consideration to several Colorado district court orders issued since the enactment of C.R.S. § 13-20-808 which have suggested that the statute does not apply retroactively, including Martinez v. Mike Wells Constr., No. 09cv227 (Colo. Dist. Ct., Mar. 1, 2011), and Colo. Pool. Sys., Inv. V. Scottsdale Ins. Co., No. 09cv836 (Colo. Dist. Ct., Oct. 4, 2010). The Tenth Circuit also attempted to ascertain the General Assembly’s intent behind the term “all insurance policies currently in existence...” Greystone, No. 09-1412, at 12. The Tenth Circuit determined that the General Assembly would have more clearly stated its intentions for the term if it was supposed to apply retroactively to expired policies, rather than those still running. Id. at 12-13. Ultimately, the Tenth Circuit decided that C.R.S. § 13-20-808 did not apply retroactively, but noted that “the retrospective application of the statute is not necessarily unconstitutional.” Id. at 9, 11-14. As such, the Tenth Circuit advised that it was required to decide the question presented in the appeal under the principles of Colorado insurance law. Id. at 15.

    Read the full story…

    Reprinted courtesy of Higgins, Hopkins, McLain & Roswell, LLC. Mr. Lindenschmidt can be contacted at lindenschmidt@hhmrlaw.com


    Going Green for Lower Permit Fees

    October 23, 2012 — CDJ Staff

    Clay County, Kansas is offering rebates on building permits for green homes. According to the Kansas City Star, building permits in the county are typically $2,500. The county will rebate anything from half to all of the permit fee, depending on how well the builder meets green standards. The county will monitor and inspect the process to make certain that builders adhere to their promises for green construction. The county hopes this will encourage green building by offsetting the cost.

    Read the full story…


    Cogently Written Opinion Finds Coverage for Loss Caused By Defective Concrete

    November 7, 2012 — Tred Eyerly, Insurance Law Hawaii

    If ever in need of a concise, well-reasoned opinion on “occurrence,” “property damage” and applicability of the business risk exclusions, turn to Pamperin Rentals II, LLC v. R.G. Hendricks & Sons Construction, Inc., 2012 Wis Ct. App. LEXIS 698 (Wis. Ct. App. Sept. 5, 2012).

    A contractor was hired to install concrete during construction of seven gas stations. Red-D-Mix provided the concrete. The contractor and Red-D-Mix were eventually sued by the gas stations, based upon allegations that the concrete was defectively manufactured and installed. The gas stations alleged that Red-D-Mix supplied concrete that was defective and resulted in damages, including the need to repair nearby asphalt.

    Red-D-Mix tendered to its insurers, who denied coverage. Suit was filed and the insurers moved for summary judgment. The trial court determined there were no allegations of either “property damage” or an “occurrence.” Therefore, there was no duty to defend or indemnify Red-D-Mix.

    Read the full story…

    Reprinted courtesy of Tred R. Eyerly, Insurance Law Hawaii. Mr. Eyerly can be contacted at te@hawaiilawyer.com


    Homeowners Sue Over Sinkholes, Use Cash for Other Things

    January 6, 2012 — CDJ Staff

    Quoting one homeowner as saying that his house “can fall in the ground for all I care, I made my money,” the Tampa Bay Times looks at the issue of sinkhole claims in Florida. Homeowners “have paid off mortgages, put in pools, replaced roofs, or otherwise used money from sinkhole claims to do something besides fix sinkhole damage.

    It’s been tough for insurance companies. Citizens Property Insurance took in $32 million in premiums for sinkhole coverage in 2010, but paid out $245 million in sinkhole claims. The Tampa Bay Times notes that some of those claims come from settling problems caused by their repairs, including one settlement of $350,000 for repairs to a house worth $39,000.

    One couple, after receiving $217,000 from Citizens, sold the house to a company that bought unrepaired sinkhole homes for $190,000. The home has been sold since and remains unrepaired.

    Sometimes the preferred solution by the insurance company isn’t the cheapest either. One couple was informed that Citizens was going to spend $150,000 to have the hole filled with grout. After they settled with the insurance company, they fixed the problem by installing steel piers, at a cost of about $45,000.

    Read the full story…


    Court Will Not Compel Judge to Dismiss Construction Defect Case

    August 2, 2012 — CDJ Staff

    The Fourteenth Court of Appeals of Texas has denied a petition for a writ of mandamus. The parties involved, Bonner Ball, Thomas Zenner, and Rallin Welch, are lmited partners of Black Diamond Builders, LLP. Black Diamond is the recipient of a lawsuit from Grier and Camille Patton, for whom Black Diamond built a home. The Pattons are alleging construction defects.

    The Black Diamond partners argue that Judge Jeff Shadwick, presiding judge of the 55th District Court of Harris County, Texas should have granted their motion to dismiss. They sought to have the Fourteenth Court of Appeals compel that action.

    The Black Diamond Partners claims that “the homowners failed to satisfy statutory prerequisites before filing suit, and dismissal of the suit was automatic under the applicable statues in effect at the time the Pattons noticed alleged defects in their home.”

    The court noted that “a trial court will be held to have abused its discretion only if the party requesting mandamus relief establishes that the trial court could have reached but one decision.” The court did not concur with this and denied the petition for a writ of mandamus.

    Read the court's decision…


    Residential Construction: Shrinking Now, Growing Later?

    August 17, 2011 — CDJ Staff

    Jim Haugey, the Chief Economist for Reed Construction Data noted that new residential construction spending fell 0.2% in June and a slightly larger drop of 0.5% in residential remodeling. While economic growth is still low, Haugey states that homebuilders have “record low inventories.” He forecasts a shrinkage of 1.5% in 2011, followed by about 20% growth in 2012.

    Read the full story…


    Florida trigger

    August 4, 2011 — CDCoverage.com

    In Mid-Continent Casualty Co. v. Siena Home Corp., No. 5:08-CV-385-Oc-10GJK (M.D. Fla. July 8, 2011), insured residential real estate developer Siena was sued by homeowners seeking damages for moisture penetration property damage resulting from exterior wall construction defects. Siena’s CGL insurer Mid-Continent filed suit seeking a declaratory judgment of no duty to defend or indemnify in part on the basis that the alleged “property damage” did not manifest during the Mid-Continent policy period.

    Read the full story…

    Reprinted courtesy of CDCoverage.com


    California Bill Would Notify Homeowners on Construction Defect Options

    October 23, 2012 — CDJ Staff

    The California Building Industry Association supported Assembly Bill 1892, but its goals of informing homeowners of their rights under SB800 have been accomplished through the administrative process. The Department of Consumer Affairs has now posted text on its web site noting that “prior to pursuing legal action or responding to a construction defect solicitation, you must first contact your home builder.” The text goes on to note that “if the homebuilder fails to follow any of the procedures, the homeowner is entitled to proceed with the filing of an action.”

    Read the full story…


    Certificate of Merit to Sue Architects or Engineers Bill Proposed

    May 3, 2011 — May 3, 2011 Beverley BevenFlorez - Construction Defect Journal

    North Carolina may become the twelfth state to require a Certificate of Merit to sue an architect or engineer. If North Carolina Senate Bill 435 (SB435) passes, then plaintiffs when filing a complaint will need to also attach an affidavit of a third-party licensed professional engineer or architect stating that the case has merit.

    SB435 is a short two pages in its current form. The bill states that the “third-party licensed professional engineer or licensed architect shall (i) be competent to testify and hold the same professional license and practice in the same area of practice as the defendant design professional and (ii) offer testimony based upon knowledge, skill, experience, education, training, and practice. The affidavit shall specifically state for each theory of recovery for which damages are sought, the negligence, if any, or other action, error, or omission of the design professional in providing the professional service, including any error or omission in providing advice, judgment, opinion, or a similar professional skill claimed to exist and the factual basis for each such claim. The third-party licensed professional engineer or licensed architect shall be licensed in this State and actively engaged in the practice of engineering or architecture respectively.”

    A few of the amendments allude to disciplining design professionals who certify civil actions that are without merit. The bill has been referred to the Committee on Judiciary I.

    While North Carolina is considering enacting a Certificate of Merit law, eleven other states already require one, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Texas. Christopher D. Montez, a partner with Thomas, Feldman & Wilshusen, LLP, has written a useful summary for each state’s certificate of merit scheme.

    Read the text of SB435

    Track the progress of SB435

    Read more from Christopher D. Montez’s article on Thomas, Feldman & Wilshusen, LLP site


    Contractor Liable for Soils Settlement in Construction Defect Suit

    February 10, 2012 — CDJ Staff

    The California Court of Appeals ruled on January 9 in Burrow v. JTL Dev. Corp., a construction defect case in which houses suffered damage due to improperly compacted soil, upholding the decision of the lower court.

    Turf Construction entered into a deal with JTL to develop a parcel they acquired. A third firm, Griffin Homes, withdrew from the agreement “when a geotechnical and soils engineering firm reported significant problems with soil stability on 14 of the lots.” Turf Construction then took over compacting and grading the lots. Turf “had never compacted or graded a residential tract before.” Robert Taylor, the owner of Turf, “testified he knew there was a significant problem with unstable soils.”

    After homes were built, the plaintiffs bought homes on the site. Shortly thereafter, the homes suffered damage from soil settlement “and the damage progressively worsened.” They separately filed complaints which the court consolidated.

    During trial, the plaintiff’s expert said that there had been an inch and a half in both homes and three to five inches in the backyard and pool areas. “He also testified that there would be four to eight inches of future settlement in the next fifteen to twenty years.” The expert for Turf and JTL “testified that soil consolidation was complete and there would be no further settlement.”

    Turf and JTL objected to projections made by the plaintiffs’ soil expert, William LaChappelle. Further, they called into question whether it was permissible for him to rely on work by a non-testifying expert, Mark Russell. The court upheld this noting that LaChappelle “said that they arrived at the opinion together, through a cycle of ‘back and forth’ and peer review, and that the opinion that the soil would settle four to eight inches in fifteen to twenty years was his own.”

    Turf and JTL contended that the court relied on speculative damage. The appeals court disagreed, stating that the lower court based its award “on evidence of reasonably certain damage.”

    Turf also that it was not strictly liable, since it did not own or sell the properties. The court wrote that they “disagree because Turf’s grading activities rendered it strictly liable as a manufacturer of the lots.” The court concluded that “Turf is strictly liable as a manufacturer of the lots.”

    Judge Coffee upheld the decision of the lower court with Judges Yegan and Perren concurring.

    Read the court’s decision…


    Background Owner of Property Cannot Be Compelled to Arbitrate Construction Defects

    November 7, 2012 — CDJ Staff

    In Truppi v. Pasco Engineering, John Quattro sued Property Management Contractors, Inc. over construction defects in William Truppi’s home. All parties are named in the suit. The California Court of Appeals ruled that Property Management Contractors, Inc. (PMCI) could not compel Mr. Quattro to arbitration.

    The background of the case involves two houses built in Encinitas, California by PCMI: one for Mr. Truppi at 560 Neptune, and one for Mr. Quattro at 566 Neptune. Both contracts contained an arbitration provision. Mr. Quattro signed the contract for his residence and Mr. Truppi signed the other. Mr. Quattro then sued PCMI and its principal, William Gregory. Mr. Quattro claimed to be the true contracting party for the 560 Neptune residence and a third party beneficiary of the contract Mr. Truppi signed, and stated that PCMI was aware of this.

    PCMI in a demurrer stated that Quattro “had only a ‘prospective beneficial interest in the property upon its eventual sale or lease.’” Mr. Quattro amended his complaint to account for the issues raised by PCMI. The court rejected PCMI’s demurrer to the amended complaint.

    Finally, PCMI and Gregory asserted that Quattro was “not the real party in interest” and could not sue. PCMI continues to assert that Quattro lacks standing, but their attorney sent Quattro an e-mail stating, “While my client disputes that you are a party, and that you lack standing to assert the claim, to the extent you do so I believe you are obligated to proceed by way of arbitration.”

    The court did not cover the issue of Quattro’s standing in the case, only if he could be compelled to arbitration. The court affirmed the lower court’s finding that Quattro could not be compelled to arbitrate the construction defect claim as neither he nor Gregory signed the contract in an individual capacity. Further, the court noted that PCMI and Gregory “denied the existence of an agreement between themselves and Quattro on the 560 contract,” and cannot compel arbitration on a non-existent agreement. And while non-signatories can, in some situations be compelled to arbitrate, the court found that “these cases are inapplicable because here they seek to have the alleged third party beneficiary (Quattro) compelled by a nonsignatory (Gregory).” The arbitration clause in question “expressly limited its application to persons or entities that signed the 560 contract.”

    As Mr. Quattro was not a signatory to that agreement, the court found that he could not be held to its arbitration provision.

    Read the court’s decision…


    California Appeals Court Remands Fine in Late Completion Case

    November 18, 2011 — CDJ Staff

    The California Court of Appeals in Stanislaus County has reversed the decision of the lower court in Greg Opinski Construction Inc. v. City of Oakdale. The earlier court had awarded the city of judgment of $54,000 for late completion, $3,266 for repair of construction defects and interest, and $97,775 in attorneys’ fees. The late completion of the project was due to actions by the City of Oakdale, however, the court rejected Opinski’s argument that the California Supreme Court decision in Kiewit did not allow this, as his contract with the city established a procedure for claiming extensions.

    The appeals court noted that the Kiewit decision has been “criticized as an unwarranted interference in the power of contracting parties to shift the risk of delays caused by one party onto the other party by forcing the second party to give the first notice of any intention to claim an extension of time based on delays caused by first.” They cited Sweet, a professor at Boalt Hall, UC Berkeley’s law school, that Kiewit “gutted” the “provision that conditions the contractor’s right to claim an extension of time for delays beyond his control.”

    Further changes in California law in response to the Kiewit decision lead to the current situation which the court characterized as “if the contractor wished to claim it needed an extension of time because of delays caused by the city, the contractor was required to obtain a written change order by mutual consent or submit a claim in writing requesting a formal decision by the engineer.”

    Opinski also argued that the lower court misinterpreted the contract. The Appeals court replied that “Opinski is mistaken.” He cited parts of the contract regarding the increase of time, but the court rejected these, noting that “an inability to agree is not the same as an express rejection.”

    The court also rejects Opinski’s appeal that “the evidence the project was complete earlier than September 30, 2005, is weightier than the evidence to the contrary,” which they describe as “not a winning appellate argument.” The court points out that the role of an appeals court is not to reweigh the evidence, but to determine “whether the record contains substantial evidence in support of the judgment.”

    The court did side with Opinski on one question of the escrow account. They rejected most of his arguments, repeating the line “Opinski is mistaken” several times. They decided that he was mistaken on the timing of the setoff decision and on whether the city was the prevailing party. However, the appeals court did find that Opinski was not liable for interest on the judgment.

    The appeals court rejected the awarding of prejudgment interest to the city as the funds from which the judgment was drawn was held in an escrow account. The court noted that the city had access to the funds and could “access the funds when it determined that Opinski had breached the contract.” The appeals court noted that the judgment exhausted the escrow balance and remanded the case to the lower court to determine the amount own to Opinski.

    Read the court’s decision…


    Massachusetts Couple Seek to Recuse Judge in Construction Defect Case

    September 30, 2011 — CDJ Staff

    After seeing their $1 million jury award overturned on appeal by a judge who called the award “against the weight of evidence and likely due to misapprehension, confusion or passion,” Kathryn and Christian Culley are seeking to have him removed from the case. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has rejected their claim.

    The Culleys claim that Judge Thomas R. Murtagh’s decision was influence by him membership in the Andover Country Club which is represented by the opposing counsel in their construction defect case. Justice Margot G. Botsford had denied the Culley’s request, ruling that they had other remedies available to them.

    The SJC noted in their ruling that if the Culleys are alleging judicial misconduct a request must be made to the Commission on Judicial Conduct. Their lawyer plans to file a new motion for recusal with the SJC.

    Read the full story…


    Construction Defect Claim Did Not Harm Homeowner, Court Rules

    September 30, 2011 — CDJ Staff

    The Minnesota Court of Appeals has ruled in Creswell v. Estate of Howe, a case in which a woman bought a home and then sued the seller’s estate, both sets of real estate agents, and the homeowner’s association over construction defects. A district court ruled against her, granting summary judgment to the other parties.

    After buying a townhome “as is,” Catherine Creswell claims to have shared a thought with her agent that the homeowners association was, in the words of her agent, “trying to hide something.” Later, Creswell found that a few days before her closing, the board had discussed problems with “roofs, siding and soundproofing of the townhomes.” The court noted that “it was clear from the documents that appellant [Creswell] received that the association had known about various construction defects for many years, some of which affected [her] unit.”

    Creswell initially sued the estate, the man who negotiated the sale for his mother’s estate, the real estate companies and the agents involved, the homeowners association, and four board members. Later she sued for punitive damages, dropped a claim for interference with contractual relations, and dismissed her claims against the individual board members. The court dismissed all of Creswell’s claims awarding costs to those she sued.

    The appeals court has affirmed the decision of lower court, noting that Creswell “did not provide us with any argument why the district court erred in dismissing her unjust-enrichment, breach of contract, or rescission claims against the various respondents.” Nor did she provide evidence to support her claims of “breach of duty, fraud, and violation of consumer protection statutes.”

    The court noted that Creswell could not sue the homeowners association over the construction defects because she “failed to prove that she was damaged by the association’s nondisclosure.” The court noted that “there are no damages in this case,” as Creswell “was never assessed for any repairs, she had not paid anything out-of-pocket for repairs, and she has presented no evidence that the value of her individual unit has declined because of the alleged undisclosed construction defects.”

    The court granted the other parties motion to dismiss and denied Creswell’s motion to supplement the record. Costs were awarded to the respondents.

    Read the court’s decision…