Level With
Me By JeremyWyatt
Don’t Let Extended Timelines Take Over Your Case
In Maryland, for example, you have 120 days from the last day of work to file a lawsuit, whether you provided labor-based services or materials or not. You also have 180 days to file a mechanics lien from the day of work on a project. If you do not exercise your rights, it may take much longer to get paid. There are other complications as well, but missing out on compensation can have a ripple effect through your business. Throughout Maryland and D.C. and in the federal courts, we’re now seeing trials scheduled as far out as 2022 and 2023. Miss a deadline and you’re looking at a drawn-out case, not to mention the attorney’s fees that go along with it. A lawsuit by itself is already a drawn-out process. If you get a judgment in your favor, you may be compensated in one of two ways:
As life begins to normalize, court trials are rapidly returning to normal as well.
I have been able to schedule more trials and move more cases forward in recent months, setting a new pace we haven’t seen in over a year. However, timelines on cases can still end up very stretched out. Last year, as a result of the pandemic, it took cases an incredibly long time to get to trial. There continue to be long wait times, but it highlights something many contractors, subcontractors, and business owners need to be aware of in order to reduce those timelines. It’s critical to exercise your rights as a contractor as early as possible. This is a topic I’ve covered before, but it bears repeating because of its importance. If you do not act quickly (or within a reasonable time frame) and meet certain deadlines, even a simple lawsuit can end up facing serious delays.
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jwyatt@harrisonlawgroup.com
www.HarrisonLawGroup.com
(410) 832-0000
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