How does a pirate solve a dispute (besides walking the plank)? Answer: Arrrrbitration!
The pros and cons of arbitration are discussed in a separate post. This post concerns the waiver of arbitration by progressing too far with litigation. How far is too far? Generally, it’s too far when the party refusing to arbitrate has been harmed (e.g., too much cost incurred) by the litigation.
If you’re sued by someone else, can you demand arbitration? If you’re suing someone else, can you later demand arbitration? The answers depend on:
- Does your construction contract have an arbitration provision?
- How far has the litigation gone before someone demands arbitration?
Even when a defendant waited 22 months after being sued to demand arbitration, the Court found the defendant had not waived its right to arbitration, in part because it had not (for nearly two years) actively involved the plaintiff or the court and so avoided causing too much harm to the other party.
But, don’t wait too long! You’ll save time and money by deciding and acting sooner rather than later whether to arbitrate.
Forum Selection Can Be a Home-Court Advantage
I promise that any disputes between us will be argued at your house. Time passes and a dispute begins to brew. Now, I want to argue at my house, not at yours. You pay costs to argue at my house that you wouldn’t have incurred had I done as agreed. Should I have to reimburse your costs?
No-Damage-for-Delay and Owner-Related Dispute Clauses are No Defense to Surety Liability Under Miller Act
Prime Government Contractors - you may need to update your interim payment waivers.
Contractual Fairness is Whatever the Parties’ Agreed
When you know a current action or inaction is wrong, but you do not object, should you be allowed to object later?
Which Comes First – Specifications or Drawings?
Sometimes it's not better to ask for forgiveness after-the-fact.
Government Contract Claims: When Appeal is Rejection of Settlement
Without a reservation of rights, appealing a Contracting Officer’s Final Decision is a rejection of any offer of payment or settlement included therein. So, the contractor had only three options.
Linking Obligations
If you want to bind the subcontractor to the prime in every way the same as the prime is bound to the owner, then the incorporation clause of the subcontract should be: . . .
Termination of Government Contracts for Convenience (T4C)
Imagine you’re a Government Contractor under a firm, fixed-price contract and you’ve done nothing wrong. Nevertheless, the Government has decided to unilaterally end its contract with you. Yes, the Government can do this...
Government Contractors: Build a Snowman in August
As a Government Contractor, when have you agreed to perform a certain way, but later realized that another way is better for everybody? When the Government agrees, expressly or impliedly, to the alternative performance, it waives a credit for the unperformed work.
Construction Dispute Settlement: Dealing with Details
Reap the benefits of settling a construction dispute by doing these things.
