• Proceedings of the Korean Institute Of Construction Engineering and Management
• /
• autumn
• /
• pp.300-305
• /
• 2002

The construction project is a complex undertaking involving multiple participants. Conflicts are inherently natural in the construction projects and subsequently, a success of projects mainly depends on how well to cope with the conflicts. In the past, courts usually took the position that the professional's exposure in damages for negligent performance of any of his/her duties would not extend to strangers to the contractual arrangement. However, courts today generally reject that rationale which was earlier in vogue and protect architects, engineers, and contractors from being liable to third parties. It means that the lack of privity of contract could rarely protect a profession in a suit alleging the negligence or professional malpractice in preparing plans or specifications. The main goal of this paper is to enhance the understanding of the legal aspect of privity and to provide the trend of no-privity disputes through the analysis of lawsuit cases during the last 40 years. On the base of the analysis, importance of the third relationship and the liability in construction disputes is presented.