Arbitration agreements, whether they are separate or part of a larger agreement, are contracts – an enforceable set of promises between parties. Like any other contract, arbitration agreements are subject to the same defenses that may be used to invalidate a purported contract. Such defenses may include:
- Mistake (Mutual or Unilateral);
- Duress or Undue Influence;
- Lack of Capacity;
- Unconscionability;
- Misrepresentation or Fraud;
- Impossibility or Impracticability (yes, there is a difference);
- Material Breach (after formation);
- No Consideration; and
- Several Others.
There are no special defenses to arbitration agreements. The U.S. Supreme Court has recently affirmed this rule under the Federal Arbitration Act.
If you think you may have agreed to arbitrate a dispute, don’t try anything special or unique to attack the arbitration agreement or provision. Stick with the tried and true contractual defenses.
Better yet . . . stick with arbitration, it may be better for you.
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.
E-mail Signature Not Enough to Certify a Claim
Construction project professionals routinely send e-mails with “signatures,” which typically include the sender’s typewritten name, title, contact information, and/or company logo. But, this sort of e-mail “signature” is not enough to certify a claim to the Government.
Government Contractors: Ask for a “Sum Certain” in Your Claim
If your Claim includes an item for damages with an amount “TBD,” you could lose the entire Claim.
Contractors: Be Aware When Contracting with Virginia Public Agencies
Without a valid contract, a Virginia public entity has no duty to to pay for any of your work.
Constructive Acceleration
Contractors know that time is money. So, the point is clear when expressly told to “Speed Up! Go Faster!”
But, what do you […]
Construction Contracts & Whodunit
Imagine reading a crime novel and just when you think you figured out whodunit, a plot twist suggests a different culprit. In construction contracting, finding the right answer can be a difficult task when
Trick or Treat in Government Contract Claims
Without a request for a contracting officer’s final decision, claimants may seek treats, but get tricked instead.
Owner Nonpayment is No Defense to Miller Act Claim
As if you needed confirmation that the Federal Miller Act is a powerful tool for unpaid subcontractors, this is it. Even when a Prime ordered and accepted the Sub’s work, but didn’t have to pay under the Subcontract, the Subcontractor still. . . .
