Thoughts on construction law from Christopher G. Hill, Virginia construction lawyer, LEED AP, mediator, and member of the Virginia Legal Elite in Construction Law

Category Archives: Bond Claims

Aarow Equipment v. Travelers- An Update

Originally posted 2015-01-12 09:00:08. Previously here at Musings, I discussed the application of pay if paid clauses and the Miller Act.  The case that prompted the discussion was the Aarow Equipment & Services, Inc. v. Travelers Casualty and Surety Co. case in which the Eastern District of Virginia Federal Court determined that a “pay if

Reminder: Second Tier Subcontractors Have Miller Act Claim

Originally posted 2013-02-11 09:00:06. Here at Construction Law Musings, we often discuss the Federal Miller Act and its Virginia equivalent (the “Little Miller Act“).  These two statutes provide subcontractors on government projects (on which no mechanic’s lien can attach) the protection of payment and performance bonds. One question that often arises in this context is

Is Arbitration Okay Under the Miller Act? It Is if You Don’t Object

Originally posted 2014-10-13 09:15:01. I have discussed both payment bond claims under the Miller Act and alternate dispute resolution (ADR) here at Construction Law Musings on many an occasion.  A question that is sometimes open is what to do when there is contractually mandated arbitration for claims “relating to the contract or the work.” While

Contractor Side Deals Can Waive Rights

Originally posted 2014-04-09 16:16:54. Here at Construction Law Musings, we are quite fond of the Federal Miller Act and it’s Virginia counterpart, the “Little” Miller Act.  Both of these statutes allow a subcontractor or supplier on a government construction project the security to perform their work with the knowledge that a bonding company will back

Maybe Supervising Qualifies as Labor After All

Remember back in 2021 when I “mused” about Dickson v. Fidelity and Deposit Company of Maryland et al.?  Remember how the Eastern District of Virginia held that mere supervision does not qualify as “labor” under the federal Miller Act?  Well, the 4th Circuit recently weighed in on the appeal of that case and had some