9th Circuit Closes the Door on “Open Shop” Contractor
At the height of the Great Depression nearly one-quarter of Americans were unemployed. In response, Congress enacted a series of laws including the Smoot-Hawley Tariffs Act,…
CSLB “Fast Facts” for Online Home Improvement Marketplaces
As more and more online home improvement marketplaces like Angie’s List come online, questions have arisen as to whether such online marketplaces must hold a contractor’s…
California Contractor Spills Coffee on Himself by Failing to Stay Mechanics Lien Action While Pursuing Arbitration
It bugs the Mrs. that I have a habit of reading the directions. “Just plug the darn thing in!” said the Mrs. when we got a…
Supreme Court Finds Insurance Coverage for Intentional (and Despicable) Act of Contractor’s Employee
Not to cast shade on your fun in the sun, but here’s an unusual, albeit sad and creepy, one for you. I’m bummed even writing about…
The Unpost, Post: Dynamex and the Construction Industry
It’s been three months since the California Supreme Court issued its landmark decision in Dynamex Operations West, Inc. v. Superior Court, Case No. S222732 (April 30,…
DIR Public Works Renewal Deadline is June 30th
Like taxes and (since I’m getting close to 50) other yearly “requirements” . . . a reminder from the folks at the California Department of Industrial Relations .…
California Supreme Court Addresses “Good Faith” Construction Disputes Under Prompt Payment Laws
It’s been a rollercoaster. But the ride appears to be over. In United Riggers & Erectors, Inc. v. Coast Iron & Steel Co., Case No. S231549…
Let it Shine: California Mandates Rooftop Solar for New Residential Construction
California. Birthplace of the Frisbee, skateboard, television, canned tuna and (yup) fortune cookies has added another first to the list: California has become the first state in the…
Attention D-40 Service Station Equipment Maintenance Contractors!
As many of you know, the California Contractors State License Board, in addition to issuing Class A General Engineering, Class B General Contractor, and Class C…
Failure to Consider Safety Element in Design Does Not Preclude Public Entity’s Discretionary Authority Under Design Immunity Defense
In Rodriguez v. Department of Transportation, Case No. F074027 (March 27, 2018), the Court of Appeals for the Fifth District considered the following mind-twister: Can you…
CSLB Word of the Day – “Fenestration”
From our well-read friends at the California Contractors State License Board . . . March 21, 2018 CSLB #18-04 What Contractors Should Know about Fenestration Product…
In a Win for Property Owners California Court Expands and Clarifies Privette Doctrine
We’ve written before about the Privette doctrine, which generally holds that a higher-tiered party is not liable for injuries sustained by employees of a lower-tiered party…
