News & Insights

Practice Area: Architects and Engineers

United States District Court For The Western District Of North Carolina Analyzes Architectural Copyright Infringement Between Two Homebuilders

In Sedgewick Homes, LLC v. Stillwater Homes, Inc., 2017 WL 3221488 (W.D. NC. 2017), the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina ruled there was a genuine issue of material fact as to whether Stillwater Homes, Inc. (“Stillwater”) infringed upon the copyrighted architectural plans of its competitor, Sedgewick Homes, LLC (“Sedgewick”)….
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Substantial Completion Is Determinable By Courts Despite Architect’s Opinion

In Parkcrest Builders, LLC v. Housing Authority of New Orleans, 2017 WL 3394033 (E.D. LA. 2017), the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana held the Court could determine whether substantial completion had been achieved, despite a contract provision assigning this determination to the Architect. The Housing Authority of New Orleans (“HANO”)…
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Florida Court Of Appeals Determines Design Professional Must Hold License To Be Sued For Professional Negligence

In Sunset Beach Investments, LLC v. Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc., 207 So. 3d 1012 (Fla. Ct. App. 2017), the Fourth District Court of Appeal of Florida held an engineering intern could not be liable for professional negligence.  The Court explained an “engineer intern” could not be considered a professional because he does not maintain a…
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Missouri Court Of Appeals Interprets Statute Regarding What Is Incidental To The Practice Of Architecture

In Curtis v. Miss. Board For Architects, Prof. Engineers, Prof. Land Surveyors, and Prof. Landscape Architects, No. WD 80174, 2017 WL 2241516 (Mo. Ct. App. May 23, 2017), the Missouri Court of Appeals affirmed the Missouri Board of Architects, Professional Engineers, Professional Land Surveyors, and Professional Landscape Architects’ (the “Board”) disciplinary order against an architect…
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Supreme Court Of Texas Clarifies How Certifying Expert May Demonstrate Knowledge Of The Defendant Design Professional’s Area Of Practice Pursuant To Texas’s Certificate Of Merit Statute

In Melden & Hunt, Inc. v. East Rio Hondo Water Supply Corporation, No. 16-0078, 2017 WL 2492006 (Tex. June 9, 2017), East Rio Hondo Water Supply Corp. contracted with Melden & Hunt, Inc. to provide engineering-design and project-supervision services for a new water-treatment plant in San Benito, Texas. Following substantial completion of the project, East…
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United States District Court For The Southern District Of New York Grants An Architect’s Motion For Summary Judgment Against Cross Claims For Indemnification And Contribution Based On Construction Deviations From The Architect’s Design

In Corwin v. NYC Bike Share, LLC, No. 14-CV-1285, 2017 WL 1399034 (S.D.N.Y. Apr. 13, 2017), the Southern District of New York granted a Motion for Summary Judgment in favor of Alta Planning + Design + Architecture of New York, PLLC (“APD”) against the City of New York (the “City”) based on deviations from APD’s…
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United States District Court For The Northern District Of Ohio Denies A Motion For Summary Judgment Based On The Plain Meaning Of An Engineering Services Contract

In United States of America v. Osborne, No. 4:11-CV-1029, 2017 WL 1135640 (N.D. Ohio March 27, 2017), the Northern District of Ohio denied a Motion for Summary Judgment filed by Third-Party Defendant William R. Gray Associates, Inc. (“Gray”) based on the permit procurement obligations in Gray’s agreement for engineering services with Third-Party Plaintiff City of…
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Texas’s Certificate Of Merit Statute Requires Certifying Expert To Demonstrate Knowledge Of The Defendant Design Professional’s Area Of Practice

In Levinson Alcoser Associates, L.P. v. El Pistolón II, LTD., No. 15-0232, 2017 WL 727269 (Tex. Feb. 24, 2017), the Supreme Court of Texas held Texas’s recently amended Certificate of Merit statute requires a plaintiff to accompany his complaint not only with a sworn Certificate of Merit from an expert stating the claim has merit,…
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United States Court Of Appeals For The Sixth Circuit Affirms A Lower Court’s Decision Granting A Motion For Summary Judgment Based On The Professional Services Exclusionary Provision In A Commercial General Liability Policy.

In Orchard, Hiltz & McCliment, Inc. v. Phoenix Insurance Co., Nos. 16-1176 & 16-1231, 2017 WL 244787 (6th Cir. 2017), the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit affirmed a lower court’s grant of Summary Judgment against the Engineer, Orchard, Hiltz & McCliment, Inc. (“OHM”) and in favor of Insurers, Phoenix Insurance Co….
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Court Of Appeals Of Kentucky Reverses A Lower Court’s Decision Granting A Motion For Summary Judgment Based On The Economic Loss Doctrine.

In D.W. Wilburn, Inc. v. K. Norman Berry Associates, Architects, PLLC, No. 2015-CA-1254-MR (Ky. Ct. App. Dec. 22, 2016), the Kentucky Court of Appeals reversed a lower court’s grant of summary judgment in favor of Third-Party Defendant K. Norman Berry Associates, Architects, PLLC, the architect hired by the Oldham County Board of Education to design…
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