If Lanak & Hanna has come after you, there’s a good chance this involves a construction project, not a typical business loan. This Orange County firm has spent nearly 50 years representing sureties, general contractors, and suppliers in exactly this kind of fight: unpaid invoices, mechanics liens, stop notices, and payment bond claims tied to construction work. If you’re a subcontractor, supplier, or general contractor on the receiving end, this is a different animal than a standard collections lawsuit, and it moves on its own set of rules.
Experienced attorneys at Consumer Rights Law Firm PLLC helps business owners who’ve been sued by Lanak & Hanna understand what’s actually being claimed and how to respond before their deadline runs out.
Who Is Lanak & Hanna, P.C.?
Lanak & Hanna, P.C. is a Santa Ana firm founded in the late 1970s, with a practice built around construction disputes, surety claims, mechanics lien enforcement, and commercial collections. Their attorneys represent sureties, general contractors, subcontractors, and material suppliers, and the firm has recovered significant judgments for clients in payment bond and lien cases. If you’ve been sued, a party somewhere in your construction project’s payment chain, a supplier who didn’t get paid, a surety covering a bond, or a general contractor, hired this firm to recover money they believe they’re owed.
Address: 1851 East 1st Street, Suite 700, Santa Ana, CA 92705
Phone: (714) 620-2350
First, Figure Out Exactly What Kind of Claim This Is
Construction payment disputes come in a few different forms, and each one works differently. Is this a mechanics lien against a property? A stop notice against project funds? A claim against a payment bond? Or a straightforward lawsuit for breach of contract? Read your paperwork carefully, because the answer changes what deadlines and defenses actually apply to you.
Your Response Deadline If You’ve Been Served With a Lawsuit
If this is a civil complaint, California generally gives you 30 days from personal service to file a written response, or 40 days if you were served by substituted service. If you miss that deadline, the court can enter a default judgment without hearing your side, including any dispute over the work performed or the amount claimed.
If a Mechanics Lien or Stop Notice Is Involved
Mechanics liens and stop notices follow strict timing rules under California’s construction law, both for the party filing them and for anyone trying to challenge them. If a lien has been recorded against a property you own or worked on, or a stop notice has been served affecting project funds, the specific dates involved, when a preliminary notice was sent, when the lien was recorded, when the underlying work was completed, can determine whether the lien is even valid. This is worth having reviewed closely rather than assumed to be in order.
What the Claim Should Actually Show You
Request the original contract, purchase order, or subcontract agreement, along with records showing exactly what work or materials were provided and what was actually paid. In multi-party construction disputes, it’s common for payment issues to stem from problems further up the chain, a general contractor not paying a subcontractor, for instance, rather than any failure on your part. Understanding where the breakdown actually happened matters.
If the Work or Materials Themselves Are in Dispute
Sometimes these claims involve more than just an unpaid invoice. If there’s a disagreement about whether work was completed properly, materials met specifications, or delays were someone else’s fault, that’s directly relevant to your response and shouldn’t be treated as separate from the payment dispute itself.
Settlement Is Still a Realistic Option
Construction disputes settle frequently, often because ongoing litigation costs and project delays hurt everyone involved, not just the party being sued. Many cases resolve through negotiation once a response raises legitimate questions about the amount owed or the validity of a lien. Just remember that settlement talks don’t pause your court deadline. If nothing is signed and filed by your due date, you still need to submit something to the court.
Untangling the Paper Trail Behind the Claim
Construction disputes rarely come down to just one document. They come down to a contract, a stack of invoices, a lien notice, maybe a bond, all of which have to line up for a claim to actually hold water.
We start by pulling every thread. The underlying contract, the payment records, the lien or stop notice itself, we lay it all out and check whether the timing, the amounts, and the paperwork actually support what Lanak & Hanna is claiming. Construction law runs on strict deadlines, and a single missed date can unravel an otherwise solid-looking claim.
Your project has its own story, and we tell it. Maybe the lien was recorded a few days too late. Maybe the work itself is in dispute, materials that didn’t meet spec, or a delay that wasn’t your fault. Maybe the real breakdown happened further up the chain, a general contractor who never paid the subcontractor who’s now coming after you. Whatever it is, it belongs in your formal response, not buried in a conversation nobody documented.
From here forward, they talk to us. Once you’re our client, every call, every letter, every court filing from Lanak & Hanna routes through our office. You get your inbox, your phone, and your peace of mind back.
And when settling makes sense, we negotiate like it’s our money too. If the claim holds up, we push for terms your business can actually absorb, not whatever figure was typed into the original complaint. A free case review is where that conversation starts, and our business debt team works construction and vendor payment disputes like this one regularly.
A Firm That Only Answers to You
Consumer Rights Law Firm PLLC has represented consumers and business owners since 2010, a track record reflected in our A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. No partnerships, no referral arrangements, no quiet understanding with Lanak & Hanna or the clients behind them. Just one side of the table, and it’s yours.
Construction Disputes Move Fast. Don’t Let Yours Get Away From You
Between lien deadlines and court deadlines, these cases have more moving parts than a typical collection matter. Confirming exactly where you stand today keeps every option open.
Call 877-700-5790 for a free case review before your deadline passes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this a lawsuit, a mechanics lien, or something else?
Check your paperwork carefully. A recorded lien against property, a stop notice affecting project funds, and a civil complaint each follow different rules and deadlines, so identifying which one you’re dealing with is the first step.
A lien was recorded against my property. Does that mean I already owe the money?
No. A recorded lien is a claim, not a judgment. Its validity depends on whether proper notice requirements and timing rules were followed, which is worth having reviewed before you assume it’s enforceable.
The general contractor didn’t pay me, but now a supplier is coming after me. Is that fair?
It’s common in construction disputes for payment problems to originate further up the chain. That doesn’t necessarily eliminate your exposure, but it’s directly relevant to how you respond and who else may share responsibility.
What happens if I miss my 30-day deadline against Lanak ans Hanna firm?
The court can enter a default judgment without ever hearing your side, including any dispute about the work performed or the amount claimed.
Can I dispute the quality of the work or materials as part of my defense?
Yes. If there’s a legitimate dispute about whether work was completed properly or materials met specifications, that’s relevant to the payment dispute and should be part of your response.
Is it too late to negotiate since I’ve already been sued?
No. Many construction disputes settle after litigation starts, often because continued fighting is expensive and disruptive for everyone involved. Just make sure any negotiation happens alongside your deadline, not instead of it.
What if the amount claimed doesn’t match my own records?
Request a full breakdown of the amount, including any interest, fees, or costs added. Discrepancies in payment history and change orders are common in construction disputes and worth checking carefully.
Could this affect other projects or relationships in my business?
It can, especially if a lien or judgment becomes public record. That’s part of why addressing this promptly, rather than letting it sit, matters for your broader business.
How much does it cost to find out my options?
Nothing upfront. We review your lawsuit, lien, or claim and explain what’s realistic before you decide anything.