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Practice Area: Architects and Engineers

COURT OF APPEALS OF NORTH CAROLINA RULING DEMONSTRATES THE IMPORTANCE OF EXPERT TESTIMONY ON PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS OF CONDUCT

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A common issue in Architect and Engineer cases is distinguishing between what are possible alternate designs and what are repairs to defective designs. Just because one architect or engineer would have handled a design challenge differently does not mean it was originally handled incorrectly. This distinction was recently addressed in North Carolina. In Cranes Creek,…
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LEGISLATIVE AMENDMENTS TO ALABAMA’S DESIGN PROFESSIONAL REQUIREMENTS

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During the 2023 legislative session, the Alabama State Legislature passed Act #2023-477, significantly impacting architects, engineers, and other design professionals in the state. Introduced by State Senator Clyde Chambliss, this bill aims to protect clients who may not be familiar with professional liability insurance policies and their coverage. Signed into law on June 14, 2023,…
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SIXTH CIRCUIT AFFIRMS SUMMARY JUDGMENT ON CONTRACTUAL INDEMNITY CLAIM UNDER THE TENNESSEE STATUTE OF REPOSE

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Highlighting the importance of the statute of repose in relation to construction and design indemnity claims, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit recently affirmed summary judgment based on the Tennessee statute of repose in favor of a third-party defendant subcontractor.  Hinman v. ValleyCrest Landscaping Development, Inc., 89 F.4th 572 (6th Cir….
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COURT OF APPEALS OF LOUISIANA UPHOLDS CITY’S AGREEMENT TO ARCHITECT’S MODIFIED CONSTRUCTION DESIGN PLAN CHANGE ORDER DESPITE ALLEGATIONS OF FRAUD AND DURESS

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The recent decision by the Louisiana Court of Appeals in City of Ruston v. Womack & Sons Construction Group, Inc., 374 So. 3d 311 (La. App. 2 Cir. 2023) underscores the critical need for architects to meticulously draft and review contracts, contract conditions, and change orders in construction projects. The City of Ruston (the “City”)…
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FLORIDA DISTRICT COURT RULES DESIGN PROFESSIONALS ARE SUBJECT TO FOUR YEAR STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS FOR CONSTRUCTION BASED MALPRACTICE CLAIMS

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In American Automobile Insurance Company v. FDH Infrastructure Services., LLC, 364 So.3d 1082 (Fla. 3d DCA 2023), The Court of Appeals of Florida, Third District (“Court of Appeals”) held all construction-based claims against design professionals are subject to a four-year statute of limitations, not the two-year statute of limitations. Tower King II was contracted to…
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GEORGIA RULE OF EVIDENCE PRECLUDES ENGINEERING MALPRACTICE CLAIM

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Expert testimony is an essential element of any claim of professional engineering malpractice. However, Munro v. Dep’t of Transportation, 890 S.E.2d 349 (Ga. App. 2023) demonstrates that a Georgia Rule of Evidence regarding expert testimony in professional malpractice cases can make proving design malpractice very difficult in some circumstances. On November 10, 2017, twenty-four-year-old Ashley…
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Architect’s Failure To Report Safety Issue Prevents Summary Judgment

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In Bonilla v. Verges Rome Architects, 2023 WL 3371559 (La. App. 5th Cir. 2023), the Louisiana Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals held that an architect could be liable to an injured worker for failing to address a known safety issue, despite contractual language establishing site safety as solely a contractor responsibility. The City of New…
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Arbitration Award Affirmed By Alabama Supreme Court

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Arbitration in construction and design disputes can be a tempting alternative to resolving disputes outside of the traditional setting of a courtroom. However, once an arbitration award is issued, there is a high bar to be cleared should a disgruntled party move to have it vacated. Escapes! To the Shores Condo. Ass’n, Inc. v. Hoar…
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