在2006年2月的专栏中，我写了有关德克萨斯州法律豁免的文章，以及合同方如何有意或无意地放弃其权利。在Addicks Services Inc.诉GGP-Bridgeland LP中，第五巡回上诉法院裁定的最新案件，适用德克萨斯州法律的法院对建筑项目中使用的豁免和发行的重要性作出了有力的声明。新利18备用网址法院裁定，在项目期间提交了几项变更命令请求的承包商，通过签署其进度付款请求提交的临时豁免，放弃并释放了此类索赔，该请求明确地释放了任何未偿还的索赔，以支付在每项日期之前执行的额外工作临时豁免。

As I have also written, Texas courts strongly favor contracts and written agreements. This case is important for contractors and subcontractors who routinely sign form documents without first carefully considering the document. Parties in the construction industry often use form lien waivers and down-date waivers as part of the payment process. Forms, however, can create a false sense of security or cause a person to exercise less caution than he or she otherwise might.

在Addicks案中，通过简单地提交付款请求，其中包括对索赔的广泛放弃，承包商即使事先将所有者事先通知了该索赔，也失去了追求潜在变更命令的权利。该课程很清楚：请小心您的签名。首先阅读文档并确保您理解；如有必要，请咨询您的律师。

In Addicks, performance under the excavation and grading contract was to be paid in monthly progress payments. To get paid, the contractor had to submit a written application for a progress payment along with an executed lien waiver (or interim waiver) that would release the contractor's mechanic's and material-man's lien on the project as of the date on the or interim waiver. The interim waiver also included the following broad waiver and release language: "[Contractor] specifically waives, quit claims, and releases any claim for damages due to delay, hindrance, interference, acceleration, inefficiencies or extra work or any other claim of any kind."

在项目期间，承包商提交了几项变更单，以进行必要的额外工作以及合同范围和价格的更改。尽管许多变更命令正在待处理，但承包商提交了进度付款的申请并执行了临时豁免。尽管这些提供了一个空间来列出未发布的任何索赔，但承包商从未列出该空间中额外工作的任何索赔。

法院驳回了承包商的论点：

• 除非将此类额外的工作简化为书面变更订单，否则所有者不允许其在付款申请上包括其他工作。法院得出的结论是，如果承包商想将执行的额外工作排除在被释放之外，则可以通过在临时豁免中列出此类索赔来做到这一点。
• 缺乏最终豁免意味着无法通过临时豁免释放额外工作的主张。法院拒绝了这一论点，因为临时豁免提供了空白的空间，以记录承包商希望将其排除在释放之外的任何其他工作。
• 所有者通过后来与承包商进行额外工作，发出变更命令并支付某些索赔，从而放弃了依靠临时豁免的权利，即使以前曾执行过临时豁免。该论点失败了，因为所有者遵循每笔付款进行额外工作，并释放索赔，这与合同的规定一致。
• Be on the lookout for release and waiver language contained in form documents. Many contractors use variations of the AIA Application and Certification for Payment form to process progress payments. Be careful if you are asked to use the AIA form and it was modified to add broad release of claim language. The best practice is to include a copy of each form as part of the contract or subcontract.