When a Bond Is the Path to Getting Paid, We Know the Way

You Cannot Lien Public Property, So Reach for the Bond

No Lien on Public Property. The Bond Takes Its Place.

Public construction does not allow a mechanic’s lien against government property. Instead, the law requires the prime contractor to post bonds, and those bonds become the means by which subcontractors and suppliers get paid when the money stops.

Virginia’s Little Miller Act requires payment and performance bonds on public projects over $500,000, and the federal Miller Act does the same on federal jobs. To claim against a payment bond, you generally must give written notice within 90 days of your last work and file suit within one year. Courts apply those deadlines strictly.

We handle bond claims from every side: pursuing payment for subs and suppliers, defending principals and sureties against invalid claims, and guiding contractors through performance-bond disputes when a job is at risk.

Where We Come In

• ✓ You were not paid on a bonded public project
• ✓ A 90-day bond notice deadline is approaching
• ✓ You need a Miller Act, or Little Miller Act claim filed
• ✓ A performance bond is in play because the work has stalled
• ✓ You are a principal or surety facing a bond claim
• ✓ You are unsure whether a lien or a bond is your route

Payment Bond Claims

The route to payment on public jobs where you cannot lien the property.

Performance Bonds

When a contractor defaults, the bond covers completion. We pursue or defend it.

Miller Act Claims

Federal-project bond claims under strict notice and filing deadlines.

Little Miller Act

Virginia public-project bond claims with the same strict timing.

Notice & Deadlines

The 90-day notice and one-year suit clock that control every claim.

Surety Defense

Principals and sureties facing claims. We test validity and defend.

Consultation

Tell us about the project, the contract, and where it went wrong. We find the issues that matter most and the deadlines that apply.

Review Contract & Record

We dig into the documents, the schedule, and the correspondence to find your strongest position.

Claim or Defend

We file, demand, negotiate, or litigate with a clear plan and a calendar of every deadline.

Resolve or Try It

We push for the strongest available resolution and are fully prepared to take it to court or to arbitration.

“On a public job, people are surprised to learn they cannot lien the property. The courthouse, the school, the road, none of it can be liened. The payment bond serves as your security instead, and it works well if you meet the deadlines. The trap is the timing: a written notice within 90 days, suit within a year, both enforced to the day. I have seen good claims lost because someone assumed the bond would always be there. It is there, but only if you reach for it in time.”

Answers Before You Call