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The article discusses statutes by U.S. states that lead to differing decisions in court cases involving the issuance of retention to a contractor in civil engineering field. It mentions the decision of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania in A. Scott Enterprises Inc. (ASE) v. City of Allentown on the applicability of interest penalties for a public entity, in which the finding failed to overcome the ambiguity of statutes with similar wordings subject to different interpretations in various states.

The article discusses a court case U.S. v. Spearin concerning owner held liable for erroneous specification. It is stated that the case focuses on implied warranty of adequate specifications. It is said that the doctrine is based upon the U.S. Supreme Court's view that if a contractor is bound to build according to the plans and specifications prepared by the government, then the contractor should not be responsible for the consequences of defects in the plans and specifications.

The article discusses the case of fixed-price contract by contractors not considering the risk of differing site conditions (DSC) in Colorado. It states that contractors' fixed-price arrangement assumes its cost performance risk that may exceed the contract price, whereas contracts containing a DSC clause permits a contractor to recover for unknown subsurface conditions. The "URS Group, Inc. v. Tetra Tech FW, Inc.," case filed in the Colorado trial court is presented, wherein Tetra Tech FW Inc. (TTFW) entered into an agreement as the program management contractor with the U.S. Army on an arsenal remediation project at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal in Colorado, while URS Group, Inc., who had been awarded the subcontract, sought for a price adjustment to TTFW.

Provides information on several court decisions in the United States on construction-related cases as of November 2000. Information on the liability of a contractor for a subcontractor's injury; Details on the case Dagley versus Haag Engineering Company; Country Meadows West versus Germantown.

Presents information on a case on the arbitration rights of an engineering contractor in the United States in 1997. Basis for the filing of the case; Decision of the court on the case.

Discusses the laws governing general contractors. Legal ramifications if a contractor meets the contract deadline but failed to achieve its own scheduled early-completion data as a result of the owner's actions; Type of notice a contractor needs to give to the owner if the intention is to finish earlier than the contract date; Details on the case showing the contractor's failure to notify the owner for early completion of the project.

Examines the question of sufficiency of evidence necessary to prove damages for prospective, lost profits due to loss of bonding capacity. Impact of a contractors' bonding capacity loss; Case of Anderson Inc. vs. the Bank of America N.T. & S.A.; Types of evidence permitting reasonable certainty.

Presents some court decisions involving contractors and public works. Liability of contractors for indemnity contracts; Landowners' responsibility to provide right-of-way to the city; Contractor's participation in an arbitration proceeding with a subcontractor and a city.