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: Construction Law

Just When You Thought General Contractors Were Necessary Parties. . .

Originally posted 2016-09-22 10:32:51. Did you think that a subcontractor had to name a general contractor in a mechanic’s lien suit?  I did.  Did you think that nothing about this changed in the case where a Virginia mechanic’s lien was “bonded off” pursuant to Va. Code Section 43-71?  I did. Well, a recent Virginia Supreme

Because I Haven’t Mentioned Mediation Lately. . .

Any regular reader of Construction Law Musings knows that I am both a great believer in mediation and a certified Virginia mediator.  After the last few weeks in which I participated in mediation by Zoom, a Judicial Settlement Conference (read, court-ordered mediation with a retired judge), and will be participating in another mediation in person

To Require Arbitration or Not To Require Arbitration

Originally posted 2014-12-15 09:00:36. Many, if not most, construction contracts that I review during the course of my practice day include a mandatory arbitration clause.  Most of these refer in a blanket manner to AAA Construction Industry Rules.  The topic for this post is not whether such clauses are enforceable or whether they are one

Changes to Va. Code Section 43-13: Another Arrow in a Subcontractor’s Quiver

As is always the case here in Virginia, our General Assembly has made some legislative changes that affect construction contracting.  One of these changes is an amendment to Va. Code 43-13 found in the mechanic’s lien section of the Virginia Code. This section of the code has always required that any money paid to a