Fraudulent Inducement

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Fisk Elec. Co. v. DQSI, L.L.C., 2018 U.S. App. LEXIS 17914 (5th Cir., June 29, 2018)

 DQSI, L.L.C., (“DQSI”) a general contractor, was hired by the Army Corps of Engineers (“Corps”) for a pump station construction project.  Western Surety Company (“Western”) issued a Miller Act payment bond on DQSI’s behalf.  DQSI hired Fisk Electric Company (“Fisk”) as subcontractor to perform electrical work on the project.

The project was delayed 464 days due, in part, to adverse weather conditions.  Fisk asserted expenses due to the delay of over $400,000 against DQSI and submitted a Request for Equitable Adjustment (“REA”) to DQSI for the 464 days of delay.

Fisk sued DQSI and Western pursuant to the Miller Act.  The parties then entered into a settlement agreement wherein Fisk would release DQSI for payment of approximately $55,000 and for DQSI’s agreement that it would submit the REA to the Corps and pursue it. 
Continue Reading Claimant Is Not Required to Conduct an Investigation Into the Veracity of the Representation to Prove Justifiable Reliance When Asserting a Fraudulent Inducement Claim Under the Miller Act

Koudela v. Johnson & Johnson Custom Builders, LLC, 2017 Ohio App. Lexis 5800 (December 29, 2017)

In this case, Nicolas and Monica Koudela (the “Koudelas”) entered into a construction contract with “Johnson & Johnson Builders” (the “Agreement”), whereby Johnson & Johnson Builders agreed to construct a single family home for the Koudelas in Ohio.  However, Johnson & Johnson Builders was a fictitious name for Johnson & Johnson Custom Builders, LLC (“J&J”), and was not an entity registered with the Ohio Secretary of State.

In the Agreement, the parties agreed to submit all disputes to binding arbitration in Cleveland, Ohio.  The arbitration clause further provided that the cost of the arbitration would be borne by the party initiating the claim.

After disputes arose on the project regarding the work performed by J&J, the Koudelas filed suit in the State Court of Ohio against J&J and its principals, alleging claims for fraud in the inducement, breach of contract, negligence, conversion, unjust enrichment/detrimental reliance, and a declaratory judgment that the arbitration clause in the Agreement was unenforceable.  J&J moved for an order dismissing the complaint, or, in the alternative, staying the litigation pending binding arbitration.  The trial court granted J&J’s motion and stayed the litigation pending binding arbitration.Continue Reading Claim of Fraudulent Inducement of a Construction Contract Does Not Invalidate Arbitration Clause in That Same Contract