Law Brief: Lien Times: Securing Mechanics Liens for Preconstruction Services
Benefits of a Stop Notice for Construction Contractors
Hot to Get Paid: Tips and Tricks for Construction Companies in DC, MD, and VA
Whether you’re a homeowner, contractor, or subcontractor working on a construction project in Massachusetts, it’s important to understand how mechanic’s liens work. This legal tool plays a key role in ensuring that those who...more
The Texas Legislature is currently in session and is scheduled to adjourn on June 2, 2025. Porter Hedges is actively monitoring any legislation that influences Texas construction law and impacts construction projects,...more
Liens provide a means of recourse for contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers who have not been paid. In Washington, there are specific disclosure requirements that must be met before a licensed and registered contractor...more
In a recent case, the California Court of Appeal held that a contractor could foreclose a mechanic's lien, over the project owner's objection, even though the contractor had not provided a preliminary notice of lien to the...more
A mechanics’ lien is a powerful remedy that provides a contractor with a priority lien on a property and a fast means of being made whole if payment is not rendered at the completion of a job. In order to successfully obtain...more
Mechanic’s liens have long been a valuable tool for mechanics and materialmen in the Commonwealth to secure their rights to payment. Yet, despite mechanic’s liens having been in existence for well over a century, properly...more
States struggle to strike the right balance between assuring payments to a contractor who improves real property and a lender whose financing helps make those improvements possible in the first place....more
In an ideal world, the interests of contractor and lender involved in the same construction project are aligned: the project succeeds, and everyone is paid what they’re owed. But when the interests of contractor and lender...more
Bonds can play an essential role in protecting owners from the financial risk associated with liens and other contractor claims on Texas construction projects. Two types of commonly used surety bonds are (1) bonds to...more
In Alabama, a lien claimant must file a lawsuit to enforce its mechanic’s lien within six months of the maturation of the entire indebtedness in the Alabama state circuit court in the county where the subject property is...more
Mechanics' liens on public construction projects are a fact of life. Although they may seem familiar, it does not pay to regard them too casually. Mechanics' liens are statutory creatures, and anyone dealing with them needs...more
Lien claims can pose serious challenges—and immense frustration—for any owner or developer of a private construction project, particularly for those wishing to refinance or sell the property. An owner with a finance...more
How can a contractor, subcontractor, or supplier secure payment for its work? One solution is to file a mechanics’ lien against a project’s property. Lien laws vary widely from state to state and time to time because...more
Welcome to the DMV Construction Law Series, where each month we examine a different set of legal issues important to contractors. Our fourth installment briefly examines certain key parts of Virginia’s Mechanic’s Lien Law...more
On May 15, 2020, in Geo-technology Associates Inc. v. Capital Station Dover, LLC, the Delaware Supreme Court dismissed an action to enforce a mechanic’s lien because the geotechnical and construction observation services...more
Every month, contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers submit applications for payment upstream along with a form they are contractually required to execute: a release and waiver of claims or liens, commonly called a “lien...more
If you are involved in the construction industry, you have probably heard of or dealt with mechanic’s liens. The majority of work performed on private Texas construction projects will fall under Chapter 53 of the Texas...more
A recent New York appellate court decision highlights the danger of contractors, subcontractors and suppliers not having a complete understanding of Section 38 of the Lien Law. It allows the party against whom a mechanic's...more
Whether you are the owner or the general contractor, dealing with mechanic’s liens filed by subcontractors or suppliers can be frustrating and, in some cases, present the very real threat of having to pay twice for work or...more
New legislation (SB 1304) is amending A.R.S. § 33-992.01 (governing “preliminary twenty-day notices”) to increase the “lien reach” of Arizona 20-day Preliminary Notices to 30% (up from the 20% we’ve known for decades). This...more
The subcontractor's sworn statement is one of most effective tools that contractors can use to ensure that lower-tier subcontractors and suppliers receive adequate payment throughout the job, yet many contractors either fail...more
This is the first post in an ongoing series of posts on real estate and construction lending. Check back soon for more posts in our series. In New York, contractors must be careful to file the correct type of lien to...more
The smoke has finally cleared in a hard and long-fought battle between a bank and contractor both claiming priority to foreclose millions of dollars on a Phoenix condominium project. The project, well-known as Summit at...more
In the wake of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals’ long-awaited ruling in Noatex Corp. v. King Construction of Houston, LLC, Case No. 12-60385 (5th Cir. Oct. 10, 2013), which struck down Mississippi's now-repealed Stop-Notice...more
Last April, we wrote about the significant changes to the North Carolina mechanics lien laws, which are continuing to create issues and opportunities for owners, contractors, subcontractors and title companies working in the...more