The seventh edition of "Contracts and the Legal Environment for Engineers and Architects" has been written for students in the engineering and architecture fields to teach the basic principles of the law and a ready reference for practicing design professionals. This edition has been completely updated in recognition of the dynamic changes in the law in recent years. The text has been entirely reordered and several new chapters and chapter sections have been added. The material in this seventh edition has been reorganized and expanded into seven parts: Part One - basic principles of the law and court systems in both the United States and globally; Part Two - basic principles of contracts; Part Three - relationships of individuals and society focusing upon such areas as agency, partnerships, corporations, insurance and governmental regulations; Part Four - basic principles of tort law including concepts of negligence and product liability; Part Five - basic principles of property ranging from real property to intellectual property; Part Six - impact to the daily practice of a design professional involved in a construction project; and, Part Seven - the role of the design professional in litigation.

Table of Contents

Part I Introduction to Law 1. Evolution of Engineering and Law 2. Legal Systems in the United States and the World 3. Substantive v Procedural Law 4. Systems of Courts Questions on Introduction to Law Part II Law of Contracts 5. Types of Contracts 6. Formation of Contracts 7. Procedural Issues in Formation of Contracts 8. Terms and Conditions 9. Privity and Third Party Beneficiaries 10. Construction and Interpretation 11. Discharge of Obligations 12. Issues with Discharge by Performance 13. Remedies for Breach of Contract Questions on Law of Contracts Part III Relationships of Individuals and Society 14. Agency 15. Partnerships 16. Corporations 17. Insurance 18. Bonds and Suretyship 19. Federal Statutes and Regulations Questions on Law of Relationships Part IV Law of Torts 20. Definition and Scope of Torts 21. Torts Based Upon Intentional Actions 22. Torts Based Upon Negligent Actions 23. Torts Without Fault 24. Procedural Issues Relating to Torts 25. Professional Liability for Architects and Engineers Questions on Law of Torts Part V Real and Other Property 26. Real and Personal Property 27. Above and Below - Air, Water and Mineral Rights 28. Intellectual Property Questions on Law of Property Part VI Application to Engineering and Construction Projects 29. Contracts for Construction Projects 30. Drawings 31. Specifications 32. Specifications for Workmanship 33. Specifications for Materials 34. General Conditions 35. Clauses Relating to Finance 36. Proposals 37. Advertising for Bids 38. Duty to Design-Engineering v Statutory Codes Questions on Application to Engineering and Construction Issues Part VII Engineering and Legal Procedure 39. The Engineer's Role in Litigation 40. The Engineer's Role in Arbitration Questions on Engineers, Architects, and Litigation Glossary Index

Author Biography

Joseph Bockrath is the R. Gordon Kean Professor of Law at the Louisiana State University Law Center, where he has taught Contracts, Constitutional Law, and several other subjects since 1976. Prior to his arrival at LSU he was an Assistant Professor of Marine Studies at the University of Delaware. Professor Bockrath is a graduate of Hastings College of Law of the University of California in San Francisco. Fredric Plotnick is an Adjunct Professor of Engineering in the departments of Engineering Management, Civil Engineering, and Construction Management at Drexel University's Philadelphia Pennsylvania Campus, where he has taught Engineering Law, Contracts Specifications and Law, Techniques of Project Controls, Project Scheduling and several other subjects since 1979. He has also maintained a consulting practice, Engineering and Property Management Consultants, Inc., since 1983, having previously worked for several contracting, consulting and engineering design firms. Professor Plotnick is a graduate of Drexel University College of Engineering, having a BSCE in Soil and Foundation Engineering and an MSCE in Construction Management, followed by a JD from Widener University School of Law, and returning to Drexel for his PhD in Civil Engineering.