The RegistryCounty Record · California
Construction Attorneys in Merced County, California
Counsel for the build — defects, liens, delays, and contractor disputes. In Merced County, that work runs through the Superior Court of California, County of Merced. This directory presents construction records from official State Bar of California data in neutral order.
Venue matters. Construction cases from Merced County are ordinarily heard at the Superior Court of California, County of Merced. A San Joaquin Valley county where dairy and row-crop agriculture anchor the economy and UC Merced, opened in 2005, is the University of California's newest campus; the courthouse sits in the city of Merced.
Before comparing counsel, note the clock. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 8412, the governing period is mechanics liens: record within 90 days of completion (60/30 days after a notice of completion). Suit to foreclose the lien must follow within 90 days of recording (Cal. Civ. Code § 8460). Defect claims run four years for patent defects (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 337.1) and ten for latent (§ 337.15).
This page is the Merced County chapter of the registry's statewide record — Construction Lawyers in California collects all 58 counties.
The clock & the court
Mechanics liens: record within 90 days of completion (60/30 days after a notice of completion).
Cal. Civ. Code § 8412
Suit to foreclose the lien must follow within 90 days of recording (Cal. Civ. Code § 8460). Defect claims run four years for patent defects (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 337.1) and ten for latent (§ 337.15).
Superior Court of California, County of Merced.
County seat: Merced
Official court information, locations, and filing rules: www.merced.courts.ca.gov
Construction · Merced County roster
6 attorneys on the official State Bar of California roll list construction among their practice areas with an address of record in Merced County.
The roster concentrates in Merced (4), Atwater (1) and Los Banos (1).
Admission years on this roster run from 1990 to 2025.
The employers most represented here are Berliner Cohen, LLP (2).
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Construction questions, cited
How do mechanics lien deadlines work in California?
Most subcontractors and suppliers must serve a 20-day preliminary notice to preserve lien rights (Cal. Civ. Code § 8204). Liens must then be recorded within 90 days of project completion — shortened to 60 days for direct contractors and 30 for others when a notice of completion is recorded (Civ. Code §§ 8412, 8414). A foreclosure suit must follow within 90 days of recording (§ 8460), or the lien expires.
How long do I have to sue for construction defects in California?
Four years for patent (obvious) defects (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 337.1) and ten years for latent defects (§ 337.15), both running from substantial completion. New residential construction sold after 2003 runs through the Right to Repair Act (Cal. Civ. Code § 895 et seq.), which sets building standards and requires a pre-litigation notice-and-repair process (§ 910) before most defect suits.
Can an unlicensed contractor sue me for payment in California?
No — Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 7031(a) bars anyone required to be licensed from suing to collect compensation for unlicensed work, regardless of the work's quality. More strikingly, § 7031(b) lets the customer sue to disgorge all compensation already paid to an unlicensed contractor. Licensing status is verifiable through the Contractors State License Board.
What should be in a California home improvement contract?
Home improvement contracts over $500 must be in writing and include statutory content: a described scope, total price, approximate start and completion dates, and required notices (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 7159). Down payments are capped at $1,000 or 10% of the price, whichever is less (§ 7159.5). Violations are disciplinary offenses and can be misdemeanors — and they shape later disputes.
What is a stop payment notice?
A remedy that intercepts construction funds rather than the property: a subcontractor or supplier serves the owner (or construction lender) with a stop payment notice, obligating them to withhold the claimed amount from the contractor (Cal. Civ. Code § 8502 et seq.). On public works — where mechanics liens are unavailable — stop payment notices and payment bond claims (Civ. Code § 9100 et seq.) are the principal collection tools.
Legal information, not legal advice.
From the answer files
Related counsel in Merced County
Construction in nearby counties
Source: Cal. Civ. Code § 8412 · State Bar of California licensee records · Checked: · Maintained by the California Attorney Registry from official State Bar of California records. Legal information, not legal advice.
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