Recent Articles

Washington State Legislature Pushes Transportation Projects

December 08, 2008 11:15

Infrastructure projects are popular with Governor Gregoire. The State Legislature is considering two large transportation projects as part of the plan to create more Washington jobs. The two proposals being considered are the Alaska Way Viaduct and the Highway 520 Bridge Project both of which are...

Alaska?s Thirty Billion Dollar Natural Gas Pipeline ("Palin?s Pipeline") May be Delayed

November 26, 2008 15:31

After Governor Sarah Palin returned home from the campaign trail, the thirty billion dollar pipeline she has been touting may well be in jeopardy. The economy downturn has lowered the demand for natural gas and has caused a decrease in the price of gas. The State of Alaska may not have adequate...

Second purchasers of new homes held to have limited rights against original developer

November 25, 2008 00:00

In this case, decided last month, the Court of Appeals held that second purchasers of new homes have few rights against the original developer who built the homes.This case, Carlile v. Harbour Homes, Inc., arose out of a development project in Snohomish County, which consisted of a number of single...

Specificity is required in arbitration demands

October 17, 2008 00:00

In Westcott Homes, LLC v. Chamness, __ Wn. App.__, 192 P.3d. 394 (September 15, 2008), the Court of Appeals addressed the issue of whether a series of emails satisfied the statutory requirements for initiating an arbitration. The Court of Appeals held that they did not. In Westcott Homes, LLC v....

Court of Appeals extends potential liability for residential developers

October 15, 2008 00:00

The Washington Court of Appeals recently extended the potential liability that residential developers face for construction defects. The case, Westlake View Condominium Assoc. v. Sixth Avenue View Partners, LLC, involved the construction of a condiminium located in Seattle.In Westlake View...

Road Through Wildlife Refuge Divides Alaskans

September 30, 2008 13:29

Before it recesses for November elections, Congress is considering swapping land between the State of Alaska and Federal Government that would allow a road to be built through a national wildlife refuge on the Alaska peninsula. The issue before congress is whether Alaska will be allowed to swap...

Contractors Beware: Know the Terms of Your Payment Bond

September 23, 2008 00:00

Two recent court decisions strictly interpreting language contained in the AIA A312 Payment Bond form ("the Bond") have had a significant impact on general contractors and sureties. The courts in National Union v. Bramble (FL) and J.C. Gibson v. XL Specialty (MD), strictly interpreted the...

State Dam's At Issue In Political Race

September 05, 2008 00:00

Hydroelectric power provides about 2/3's of Washington's electricity, a major reason the State's carbon footprint is much lower than places where coal or other fossil fuels are used to make power. Four dams along the Snake River, Ice Harbor, Lower Monumental, Little Goose and Lower Granite dams...

Court of Appeals rules that employee trust funds cannot recover against payment bond and retainage

July 30, 2008 00:00

In an unpublished opinion, the Division II Court of Appeals ruled this month that union managed employee benefit trust funds could not recover against a general contractor's payment bond and against an owner's retained percentage for unpaid trust fund contributions. In Leo Finnegan Construction...

Alaska House of Representatives moves the TransCanada Pipeline One Step Closer to Reality

July 29, 2008 00:00

On Tuesday, July 22, 2008, the Alaska House of Representatives approved TransCanada's plans to build a $26 billion, 1,700 mile pipeline to transport natural gas from Alaska's North Slope to the US market. An Alaskan State license means streamlined permitting and the state of Alaska will match up...