Abilene Construction Dispute Lawyers

Find the right Construction Dispute attorney in Abilene, TX

Construction Dispute Law in Texas

Landowners and contractors in Abilene, Texas 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 disputes 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 the parties can't easily resolve their disputes, and someone else needs to intervene, that somebody doesn't always need to be a judge or jury. Many construction disputes call for mediation, during which a neutral third party helps the parties to the dispute negotiate a settlement. They might also go through arbitration, during which a third party renders a binding decision.

Because of the large cost in time and money involved, litigation in Abilene, Texas is considered a last resort. However, in rare cases, it does become necessary.

Examples of Construction Disputes That Might Lead to Litigation in Abilene, Texas

Construction Delays: Delays in construction are prevalent sticking points between contractors and landowners. These delays can sometimes lead to litigation, especially if the construction contract makes it clear that time is an important factor, or if the contract mandates a certain completion date. In such situations, a court will often award the landowner compensation for any monetary losses he or she suffered as a result of the delay.

Refusal to Pay: Contractors can be on the other side of legal disputes, as well. Sometimes, the landowners who hired them refuse to pay. This is typically because the landowner believes that the contractor didn't perform under the terms of the contract, or that the work was unsatisfactory. If this is the case, it may ultimately be up to a court to decide who is right. If the contractor did, in fact, do poor work, the landowner will be excused, at least in part, from his duty to pay. If, on the other hand, the work was satisfactory, the court will order the landowner to pay the contract price immediately, and may award additional damages if the refusal to pay was done in bad faith, or if it caused foreseeable economic harm to the contractor.

Subcontractor Disputes: With very considerable construction projects, general contractors don't always have the resources to do all the work themselves, so they hire other contractors to do some of the work for them. However, it is the general contractor who is ultimately responsible to the owner for the satisfactory completion of the project. So, it is very crucial to the general contractor that subcontractors do a good job. If the subcontractor causes a delay or other problem, and the owner sues the general contractor as a result, the general contractor can then go after the subcontractor to recover whatever it lost in the lawsuit.

Mechanic's Liens: If the contractor sues a land owner and wins, he will likely obtain a monetary judgment. If the owner refuses to pay, the contractor needs some way to recover. This is where the mechanic's lien comes into play. It permits a contractor to force the sale of the land or other real property that he just worked on, and use those proceeds to cover costs.

Can a Abilene, Texas Attorney Help?

Construction disputes and disagreements can be very challenging to deal with alone. The assistance of an Abilene, Texas real estate attorney can make the process of dealing with these disputes much quicker and easier.

Talk to a Real Estate Law Attorney now!

Life in Abilene

Abilene, Texas is a city in Taylor and Jones Counties. It has a population of approximately 118,000 people, and is the county seat of Taylor County.

Abilene, Texas was founded in 1881 by cattlemen, as a shipping point on the Texas and Pacific Railway, which was beginning to link faraway parts of the country with one another.

Modernly, Abilene, Texas is a vibrant, thriving community, with many notable residents. For example, an Abilene, Texas attorney named Sarah Weddington lives in the city. She represented "Jane Roe" in the case of "Roe v. Wade," which resulted in the legalization of abortion nationwide.

Of course, there are many other capable and accomplished attorneys in Abilene, Texas, who just don't happen to be famous. However, if you are in need of any type of legal services, it's very likely that a lawyer in Abilene, Texas can help.

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