Joseph J. Dinardo – October 5, 2012 Construction professionals across the country should be aware that courts will go to great lengths to enforce arbitration provisions whenever possible. This trend is due in part to the fact that the dockets of many courts are now more crowded than ever and judges seek for ways to… Continue reading Arbitration Clause Enforcement
Category: Arbitration
Dispute Resolution Provisions in Construction Contracts
Antony L. Sanacory – October 2, 2012 Claims and disputes are common In the construction industry – projects are unpredictable and problems can occur for any number of reasons (e.g., poor weather and site conditions, material cost increases, design changes and delays, the owner’s decision to cancel the project, or any combination of these and… Continue reading Dispute Resolution Provisions in Construction Contracts
How low can you go? Shortening the Statute of Limitations in Arbitration Agreements
Liz Kramer – October 10, 2012 I see more and more arbitration agreements that contain their own limitations period (the timeline for bringing a dispute in arbitration). Are all of those necessarily enforceable? No. In Order of United Commercial Travelers of America v. Wolfe, 331 U.S. 586 (1947), the Supreme Court held that contracts may shorten… Continue reading How low can you go? Shortening the Statute of Limitations in Arbitration Agreements
California Supreme Court Enforces Arbitration Provision in Construction Defect Case
Timothy J. Toohey – September 14, 2012 In our December 2011 Under Construction newsletter, we reported on the tendency of certain California courts to decline to enforce arbitration provisions in construction defect cases. See Arbitration in California Construction Defect Cases After AT&T Mobility v. Concepcion. As we noted, California courts have continued after the U.S.… Continue reading California Supreme Court Enforces Arbitration Provision in Construction Defect Case
“Testing the Water Before Taking the Swim” – How Participating in Litigation May Constitute Waiver of the Right to Arbitration
R. Mark Donnell – August 31, 2012 There are plenty of reasons that parties include arbitration clauses in their contracts. But, there may also be good reasons to choose not to invoke those clauses, at least in the short term, even when one party has filed a complaint. For example, if a defendant believes the… Continue reading “Testing the Water Before Taking the Swim” – How Participating in Litigation May Constitute Waiver of the Right to Arbitration