Coulson on Construction Adjudication

✍ Scribed by Peter Coulson

• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
• Year: 2011
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 534
• Edition: 2
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

The first edition of Construction Adjudication was the first book to deal comprehensively with the law and practice of adjudication in construction and engineering disputes. Written by a High Court judge sitting in the Technology and Construction Court, this new edition of Coulson on Construction Adjudication provides a definitive up-to-date text, invaluable to all involved in the adjudication process.The Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 introduced adjudication as a new and compulsory form of dispute resolution mechanism in construction contracts, pursuant to which all disputes are decided in 28 days by an adjudicator, whose decision then remains binding and enforceable, unless and until it is challenged in court or arbitration. Since the first edition of this book, there has been an explosion in the number of these adjudication cases before the courts in which significant principles have been refined. The Local Democracy, Economic Development, and Construction Act 2009 has also introduced important amendments to the Act and to adjudication, including abolition of the requirement for construction contracts to be in writing; new powers for the adjudicator to make corrections; changes to liability for the adjudicator's costs; and changes to the payment regime. The new edition of this established and popular text has been painstakingly revised to provide comprehensive coverage of these new legislative changes, as well as to analyze the wealth of decisions under clear headings, explaining the scope and limits of an adjudicator's decision. Containing new material on the principles of fairness and natural justice which have been key to many adjudication enforcement decisions, this new edition also contains an expanded section offering practical advice to parties and to adjudicators as to how they can ensure a successful adjudication, and includes new material on the decision.

✦ Table of Contents

Cover......Page 1
Contents......Page 12
Table of Cases......Page 18
Table of Legislation, Treaties and Conventions......Page 34
PART I: STATUTORY ADJUDICATION......Page 36
Introduction......Page 38
The Main Recommendations of the Latham Report......Page 40
The Debates on the Bill......Page 43
The Debates on the Scheme......Page 46
General Purpose of Part II of the Act......Page 48
Sections 104–105: Construction Contracts and Construction Operations......Page 54
Section 106: Residential Occupier......Page 67
Section 107: Agreement in Writing......Page 70
Section 108: Adjudication......Page 85
Sections 109, 110 and 111: Payment Provisions......Page 102
Sections 112–115......Page 115
Introduction......Page 122
Piecemeal or Wholesale Incorporation?......Page 123
Part I of the Scheme—Adjudication......Page 126
Powers of the Adjudicator......Page 143
The Adjudicator’s Decision......Page 152
Effect of the Decision......Page 158
Part II of the Scheme—Payment......Page 163
Introduction......Page 170
Amendments to the Adjudication Provisions......Page 171
Amendments to the Payment Provisions......Page 174
PART II: OTHER FORMS OF ADJUDICATION......Page 182
The Importance of the Contractual Provisions......Page 184
The JCT 1998 Form......Page 187
Other Forms of JCT Contract......Page 200
The Standard Forms of Sub-Contracts......Page 202
Other Standard Forms of Contract......Page 209
Adjudication Rules......Page 214
Introduction......Page 220
The Earlier Authorities......Page 221
The Reservation of the Right to Challenge......Page 225
Estoppel......Page 228
Conclusions......Page 229
PART III: THE ADJUDICATOR’S JURISDICTION......Page 232
Introduction......Page 234
What Happens if there is a Jurisdictional Issue?......Page 236
The Adjudicator’s Power to Investigate His Own Jurisdiction......Page 238
Adequate Reservation of Position......Page 242
The Court’s Investigation......Page 244
Fundamental Principle......Page 245
Was the Adjudicator Validly Appointed?......Page 246
The Dispute......Page 255
The Relevance of Earlier Adjudication Decisions......Page 277
Ousting the Jurisdiction of the Adjudicator in Other Ways......Page 282
Making a Valid Objection on Jurisdiction......Page 283
Summary of Principles Relating to Jurisdiction......Page 284
Introduction......Page 288
Errors of Law/General......Page 289
Errors of Law/Jurisdiction......Page 293
Errors of Fact......Page 296
‘Slips’......Page 298
The Alleged Failure to Address Particular Issues......Page 301
Fraud......Page 303
The Problem......Page 306
Abatement/Set-Off against a Sum Certified/Determined as Due......Page 308
Abatement/Set-Off against Sums Claimed......Page 311
Set-Off against the Adjudicator’s Decision......Page 314
Setting Off against Other Decisions or Arbitral Awards......Page 325
Summary......Page 326
Costs......Page 328
The Adjudicator’s Fees......Page 332
Lien......Page 336
PART IV: NATURAL JUSTICE......Page 340
Introduction......Page 342
A Brief History......Page 343
Bias......Page 345
The Right to a Fair Hearing......Page 350
Actual Bias......Page 356
Apparent Bias: The Test......Page 357
Amec Capital Projects Ltd v Whitefriars City Estates Ltd......Page 358
Circumstances of Appointment......Page 360
Unilateral Contact with the Parties......Page 362
The Proper Conduct of Hearings......Page 364
Introduction......Page 366
The Application of the Rules of Natural Justice to Construction Adjudication......Page 368
The Materiality of the Alleged Breach......Page 370
Size/Nature of Claim......Page 371
Addressing the Issues......Page 377
Communications with and Indications to the Parties......Page 382
Procedural Difficulties......Page 389
Effect of Earlier Adjudications......Page 390
Miscellaneous......Page 391
Human Rights......Page 393
Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations......Page 395
PART V: ENFORCEMENT......Page 400
Introduction......Page 402
A Valid Decision......Page 403
Compliance with the Decision......Page 406
Status of Decision......Page 407
Approbation and Reprobation......Page 409
Temporary Finality/Generally......Page 412
Temporary Finality/Subsequent Adjudications......Page 414
Status in Later Court or Arbitration Proceedings......Page 418
Winding Up/Bankruptcy......Page 420
Protective Measures in Scotland......Page 422
15. Principles of Enforcement......Page 424
General Approach......Page 425
Jurisdiction/The Contract......Page 426
Jurisdiction/The Appointment......Page 428
Jurisdiction/The Dispute......Page 429
Jurisdiction/The Decision......Page 431
Natural Justice......Page 432
The Severability of the Decision......Page 435
Can the Paying Party Set Off a Separate Claim Against the Sum Awarded by the Adjudicator?......Page 436
Summary......Page 437
Introduction......Page 440
Enforcement Generally......Page 441
Summary Judgment in the TCC......Page 442
Interest and Costs......Page 444
The Consequences of Losing an Adjudication......Page 447
Injunctions......Page 450
Part 8/Declaratory Relief......Page 452
Staying Court Proceedings for Adjudication......Page 456
RSC Order 47......Page 460
Time to Pay......Page 469
Other Circumstances......Page 470
PART VI: A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO ADJUDICATION......Page 472
So You Think You Want to be an Adjudicator?......Page 474
Notice of Adjudication......Page 476
Response to the Notice of Adjudication......Page 477
Appointment of Adjudicator......Page 478
Referral Notice......Page 482
Directions......Page 484
Referring Party’s Reply......Page 485
Meetings, Evidence and Hearings......Page 486
Visits......Page 487
Timescale and Requested Extensions......Page 488
Natural Justice......Page 489
Intimidatory Tactics......Page 491
Reasons......Page 492
Completion and Communication......Page 493
Errors......Page 494
Ancillary Matters......Page 495
APPENDICES......Page 496
Appendix A: Part II of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996......Page 498
Appendix B: Statutory Instrument 1998 No 648......Page 504
Appendix C: Statutory Instrument 1998 No 649......Page 508
Appendix D: Draft Directions in Adjudication Enforcement Proceedings......Page 516
Appendix E: Part 8 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009......Page 518
A......Page 522
C......Page 523
D......Page 524
E......Page 525
F......Page 526
I......Page 527
L......Page 528
N......Page 529
P......Page 530
S......Page 531
W......Page 533