The North Carolina Land Title Association (NCLTA) played a large role in the 2012 updates to North Carolina’s construction lien statutes, and the NCLTA was again active in shaping 2017 revisions. The 2012 updates benefited title insurance companies by creating…
A Wake County Superior Court Judge issued a ruling this week in a highly publicized land development / zoning case. The ruling ended another chapter in this highly controversial case, and further appeals are very possible. The case centers around whether a…
Some businesses must pay income taxes. Some need not. Some businesses must file annual federal tax returns. Some need not. During tax season, these issues obviously take on added importance. We have recently fielded dozens of related questions and formed…
Since 1983, federal statutory provisions have required that 10% of funds authorized for highway and transit financial assistance programs be expended with DBEs. According to the United States Department of Transportation, the DBE (Disadvantaged Business Enterprise) program is designed to…
Receivership is a state law remedy similar to bankruptcy which is rarely used. In the current legal world, receivers are most often sought during disputes between shareholders or business partners, especially where there is a “silent” partner who begins to…
A project is complete and everyone is happy, until a latent structural defect is suddenly noticed. The owner calls on the general contractor to fix it. The general contractor calls on the subcontractor to address the problem. Everyone points fingers,…
Have you ever started the lien process only to discover that the entity for which you performed the work was leasing the real property? Has your attorney explained that your lien is only as good as the terms of the…
In 2012, the North Carolina General Assembly passed significant changes to Chapter 44A of the North Carolina General Statutes. They created a “lien agent” and what was anticipated to be a pre-notice concept to reduce the risk to title insurance…
Projects funded by North Carolinians’ tax dollars are not subject to mechanic’s liens, so the legislature long ago crafted legislation known as “the Little Miller Act.” Modeled on a federal act known as “the Miller Act” (or “Big Miller”), the…
A home renovation opens up new opportunities to update and enjoy your house. You are starting a process that will make your house more of a “home”! A major renovation is an investment in the future needs of your family,…
Hannah Sheridan Loughridge & Cochran’s attorneys enjoy extensive experience associated with filing mechanic’s lien claims, demanding payment from sureties upon payment bonds, and seeking remedies in the courts when parties to these claims fail to abide by their legal obligations. The…
Over ten years ago, I had the opportunity to take the 40-hour course required to become a mediator certified by the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission to conduct Superior Court Civil mediated settlement conferences. It was by far the best…
Mergers and acquisitions. Investments of capital. Changes of ownership. Merger and acquisition trends track closely to the larger economy. 2015 saw historically high transaction rates. According to Deloitte’s Year-End Report, “[2016] started with a thud…But in October, US companies unleashed…
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet.” Juliet clearly never served in the North Carolina legislature… Under the current law, North Carolina businesses may always operate under the legal…
While sitting in a complex mediation recently, key words on which attorneys and clients alike should focus began to surface. Those words are SUCCESS; CREATIVITY; FLEXIBILITY; PATIENCE; AND COST/BENEFIT. Examining the words in the litigation context may help you prepare…