Devon's Blog

A Division 1 Court of Appeals opinion released last week has determined that a county that promises to procure insurance for its contractor may be liable to the contractor for breach of contract if the county fails to procure that insurance.  However, the contractor must demonstrate that the ins...

This week's update will be posted tomorrow.  There, I will examine a recent (January 22, 2007) Washington State Court of Appeals decision discussing a county's liability to its contractor for failure to procure a builder's risk policy as required by the contract documents in Frank Coluccio Const...

Simsari.com is taking a new look at real estate online, as it offers to nearly complete the entire real estate transaction - including obtaining financing and approval - online. Simsari.com offers purchasers in the Dubai, United Arab Emirates market the opportunity to make large purchases with mi...

In Davis v. Baugh Industrial Contractors, Inc., the Washington State Supreme Court abandoned the doctrine of completion and acceptance, which shields contractors from certain liability for negligent work after that work has been completed and accepted by the property owner.   The case arose when ...

Netled in a small commercial complex at the top of Rose Hill just off 85th, The Ashram Yoga provides its students with much more than a typical hot yoga workout.  This facility was custom-designed by owner Gary Olsen, who has been practicing yoga for most of his life.  Not only does the simple-ye...

It's amazing what real estate legal research reveals.  For example, while researching liens, I came across this Washington statute: RCW 68.50.120Holding body for debt — Penalty.   Every person who arrests, attaches, detains, or claims to detain any human remains for any debt or demand, or upon an...

On December 28, 2006, the Washington State Supreme Court decided in Cosmopolitan Engineering Group, Inc. v. Ondeo Degremont, Inc. that the state’s registration of contractors act, RCW 18.27, provides for attorney fees for the prevailing party in an action against the bond, but not in an action ag...

In years past, the construction industry saw a wave of lawsuits arising out of water intrusion damage to condominiums resulting from improperly designed or constructed siding systems.  In response, the Washington legislature imposed a number of testing and inspection requirements affecting “mult...