Michael Gates and Kelly Smith | Allen Matkins Mechanic’s liens remain one of the most powerful remedies available to contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers, and a significant challenge and disruption to owners and developers of construction projects. A mechanic’s lien is a claim recorded against real property by a party asserting it has not been fully… Continue reading Understanding and Addressing Mechanic’s Liens on California Projects
Tag: california
California Supreme Court Clarifies Pleading Standards for Excess Policy Claims
Scott Seaman | Hinshaw & Culbertson Hinshaw partner Larry Golub recently discussed the California Supreme Court’s ruling in Pitzer College v. Indian Harbor Insurance Co. with Judy Greenwald of Business Insurance. The questions to be determined by the California Supreme Court were (1) whether California’s notice-prejudice law is a fundamental policy, and (2) whether that policy overrides the… Continue reading California Supreme Court Clarifies Pleading Standards for Excess Policy Claims
California Supreme Court Allows Declaratory Relief and Bad Faith Claims to Proceed Against Excess Insurers Before Underlying Exhaustion
Steven D. Allison, Sheila Z. Chen, Terrence R. McInnis, Samrah Mahmoud, Brooke Lindsey and Christy Markos | Troutman Pepper Locke Key Points On July 27, 2026, the California Supreme Court issued a significant opinion in Fox Paine & Company, LLC v. Twin City Fire Insurance Company, No. S287404, with important implications for excess insurers. In a unanimous decision… Continue reading California Supreme Court Allows Declaratory Relief and Bad Faith Claims to Proceed Against Excess Insurers Before Underlying Exhaustion
California Contractor Licensing: Where the Line Blurs on Equipment Installation
Laurence Phillips | Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch For companies that manufacture, supply, or install complex equipment on California construction projects, a recent appellate decision raises the stakes around contractor licensing. Whether a license is required in these situations often turns on detailed, project-specific facts and may not be resolved early in a case. This… Continue reading California Contractor Licensing: Where the Line Blurs on Equipment Installation
California Civil Code 8850: A New Era for Change Order Claim Resolution
Leah R. Mohammadi and Ariel Shaeps | Allen Matkins Senate Bill No. 440: The Private Works Change Order Fair Payment Act. Signed into law on October 10, 2025, SB 440, which has been codified as California Civil Code Section 8850 (Act), establishes a mandatory, step-by-step dispute resolution process for change order claims on private construction… Continue reading California Civil Code 8850: A New Era for Change Order Claim Resolution