Minnesota Statutes 15.411 – Public Works Contracts; No Damages for Delay Clauses
Subdivision 1.Definition.
As used in this section, the term “public works contract” means a contract of the state, or a county, city, town, school district, special district, or any other political subdivision of the state, for the construction, alteration, repair, addition to, subtraction from, improvement to, or maintenance of any building, structure, highway, bridge, viaduct, pipeline, railway, public works, or any other works dealing with construction. The term includes, but is not limited to, moving, demolition, or excavation performed in conjunction with the work specified in this subdivision.
Subd. 2.Unenforceability.
Terms Used In Minnesota Statutes 15.411
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
- state: extends to and includes the District of Columbia and the several territories. See Minnesota Statutes 645.44
Terms Used In Minnesota Statutes 15.411
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
- state: extends to and includes the District of Columbia and the several territories. See Minnesota Statutes 645.44
Any clause in a public works contract that waives, releases, or extinguishes the rights of a contractor to seek recovery for costs or damages, or seek an equitable adjustment, for delays, disruption, or acceleration in performing the contract is void and unenforceable if the delay, disruption, or acceleration is caused by acts of the contracting public entity or persons acting on behalf of the public entity for which the public entity is legally responsible.
Subd. 3.Severability.
When a contract contains a provision that is void and unenforceable under subdivision 2, that provision must be severed from the other provisions of the contract to the extent that it is void and unenforceable. The fact that the provision is void and unenforceable does not affect the other provisions of the contract.
Subd. 4.Scope and effect.
Subdivision 2 does not make void and unenforceable any contract provision of a public works contract that:
(1) requires notice of any delay, disruption, or acceleration by the party affected thereby;
(2) provides for reasonable liquidated damages; or
(3) provides for arbitration or any other procedure designed to settle contract disputes.