It is common practice in construction for an owner to require lien releases when payments are made. This way, the owner hopes to obtain assurances that the general contractor has paid its subcontractors and suppliers. In addition, the owner may believe that the release means there are no other claims. This last idea is not always correct. READ MORE
Gerard W. Ittig
Legal Columnist
Gerard Ittig, of Ittig & Ittig, P.C., in Washington, D.C., specializes in construction law. He can be contacted at 202.387.5508, USBuildlaw@aol.com or www.ittig-ittig.com.
Articles by Gerard W. Ittig
March 2002
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American law contains a concept known as “legal fiction.” For reasons of equity or otherwise, the law sometimes pretends that something exists when it does not, or that something does not exist when it does. For example, a contract contains stringent written notice requirements for extras and time extensions. A failure to send written notice waives the claim. READ MORE
February 2002
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Some time ago, I represented a pharmaceutical company, which for years had employed an electrical contractor for maintenance and upgrades to its plant on a time-and-material basis. The owner then contracted for a new building to manufacture and package a dietary powder. The new building had an unusual configuration. Each of its 14 floors supported separate processes. READ MORE