The RegistryCounty Record · California

Construction Lawyers in Ventura County, California

Searching for a construction attorney in Ventura County? Counsel for the build — defects, liens, delays, and contractor disputes. This page indexes the county's construction coverage from the State Bar of California's official roll, with identity-verification markers where available.

Venue matters. Construction cases from Ventura County are ordinarily heard at the Superior Court of California, County of Ventura. Between Los Angeles and the Central Coast; the county Hall of Justice in Ventura hears matters for Oxnard, the county's largest city, and the coastal plain.

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).

The clock & the court

Statute of limitations

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).

Court of record

Superior Court of California, County of Ventura.

County seat: Ventura

Official court information, locations, and filing rules: www.ventura.courts.ca.gov

Construction · Ventura County roster

Matthew T. Bechtel

Business Litigation · Simi Valley

Bar #260450 · Admitted 2008

Official record

Jeffrey T. Belton

Business Litigation · Simi Valley

Bar #239443 · Admitted 2005

Official record

Mark E. Carrillo

Bankruptcy · Moorpark

Bar #217535 · Admitted 2001

Official record

Ronald S. Caswell

Business Litigation · westlake village

Bar #161113 · Admitted 1992

Official record

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

Construction by city in Ventura County

Related counsel in Ventura County

Construction in nearby counties

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