Following completion of a bifurcated bench trial and start of a jury trial in the complex department of the San Francisco Superior Court, Hunt Ortmann client successfully recovered full principal contract balance, plus almost seven years of prompt payment penalties, full pre-judgment interest, and attorney’s fees.
Hunt Ortmann’s client was a subcontractor on a project to repair and retrofit the Summit Reservoir in San Francisco. In an action to recover its contract balance against a general contractor and its bonding company, the lawsuit spanned almost seven years due to a combination of extremely contentious litigation and the court’s budgetary constraints. The five year statute to bring the case to trial was twice extended. When the matter finally reached trial, the first part of the bifurcated trial was focused on the question of whether the subcontractor was properly licensed. The court ruled in the subcontractor’s favor, and the second phase of trial, this time in front of a jury, was held. Shortly, after the start of the jury trial, the case settled for a complete victory for the client.