Murfreesboro Construction Dispute Lawyers

Find the right Construction Dispute attorney in Murfreesboro, TN

Construction Dispute Law in Tennessee

Landowners and contractors in Murfreesboro, Tennessee frequently contract with each other for major construction projects. With any large construction projects, some small delays or problems are all but inevitable, but they don't usually derail the project or lead to major disputes between the parties.

Most often, the owners of land and contractors can end disagreements before they get too serious, thus eliminating the need for litigation. Most contracts governing construction projects have built-in remedies for the most common problems, typically requiring the party that causes a delay or other problem to pay the other party a set fee.

Even if a third party gets incorporated, it does not always need to be a court. Private mediators can assist the parties reach a settlement, or a private arbitrator who is an expert on construction litigation can render a binding decision, if mediation and negotiation fail and the parties can't resolve their dispute.

Litigation of a Murfreesboro, Tennessee construction dispute is never something that anyone wants to do. Nonetheless, there are sometimes no other avenues.

Examples of Construction Disputes That Might Lead to Litigation in Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Delays: If the contractor is culpable in a major delay in a construction project (a delay of weeks or months, for example), a lawsuit could result. If the contract particularly states that completion by a specific date is very important, or the builder has a good reason to know this, a court will often award the owner compensation for any economic harm caused by a delay.

Owner's Refusal to Pay: If the contractor completes the project, and the owner refuses to pay the agreed-upon price, the contractor will typically file a lawsuit to recover what is owed. Of course, the owner will typically claim that there is a good reason for not paying, arguing that the contractor didn't conform to the project's specifications, or that the quality of construction was unacceptably poor. In such a case, the court will have to decide if the contractor actually breached the contract by doing shoddy work, which could, at least in part, excuse the owner's duty to pay.

Subcontractor Disputes: When a construction company is contracted to complete a large project, there is typically a great deal of specialized work to be done which they aren't equipped to handle. As a result, they hire other contractors, who, in this arrangement, are subcontractors, to do some of the work. Nonetheless, the general contractor (the one that the landowner hired to do the work) is still accountable for the completion of the project - if a subcontractor causes a problem, the general contractor is on the hook for it. This sometimes leads to landowners suing general contractors for the mistakes of subcontractors. If the general contractor loses, and has to pay the client, the general contractor can then sue the subcontractor for whatever amount of money it had to pay.

Mechanic's Liens: Sometimes, when a contractor wins in a case against the landowner who hired him or her, and obtains a court order for payment, the contractor will still refuse to pay. Since a money judgment isn't worth much without a way to enforce it, the laws of many states have evolved to permit what's known as a "mechanic's lien." As a last resort, if a landowner refuses to pay the contractor for work done on the property, the contractor can force a sale of the property, and keep the proceeds, up to the amount of money owed.

Can a Murfreesboro, Tennessee Attorney Help?

If you are involved in a dispute over a construction project, you should try to avoid litigation, and settle the matter as amicably as possible. However, litigation is sometimes crucial, and a Murfreesboro, Tennessee construction disputes attorney can be of great help.

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Life in Murfreesboro

Murfreesboro is located in Rutherford County, Tennessee. It has a population of around 108,800 people. Some see the city as a suburb of Nashville, which is 35 miles from Murfreesboro. The city is well-known in Tennessee because it is home to Middle Tennessee State University. The university is the largest undergraduate university in the state!

Popular sites include the Discovery Center at Murfree Spring, Oaklands Historic House Museum, Stones River Greenway Arboretum, and Stones River National Battlefield.

Top employers include MAHLE Tennex, General Mills, Verizon Wireless, and Johnson Controls, Inc.

The city is also home to many well-established law offices and small firms that train excellent attorneys to handle any and every legal need.

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