Ranchwood Communities Limited Partnership v. Jim Beat Construction Co.

Opinion

HUFFMAN, J.

May an unlicensed contractor who worked on a project, but who is barred by statute from bringing an action for any recovery of compensation for work performed, nevertheless seek equitable indemnity from the subcontractors it hired to perform other work on the project, on the basis that such subcontract work was negligently performed? Such indemnity rights would stem from the fact that this unlicensed contractor at the same time was acting in the related capacity of developer of the overall project (i.e., its own contract principal), and is subject as a developer to strict…