Opinion ID: 2515943
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Did Judge Savell err by failing to require exhaustion?

Text: Sprucewood also briefly argues that Judge Savell erred by not requiring AHFC to exhaust the contract's dispute resolution procedure, which required claims to be submitted to the contracting officer, before seeking relief in court. In reply, AHFC argues that requiring AHFC to exhaust the contractual dispute resolution proceeding would have been futile because the buildings were under the control of Sprucewood, over whom the contracting officer had no power. [T]he failure to exhaust remedies may be excused due to severe impracticality or futility. [24] The attorney for Northern Construction acknowledged at oral argument before the superior court that any decision by the contracting officer could not be enforced against Sprucewood, a non-party to the contract which had control over the buildings. Moreover, the contracting officer herself rejected Northern Construction's request that she hear the case, holding that a determinable controversy no longer existed because neither AHFC nor Northern Construction had present control over the buildings. Because resort to the contractual dispute resolution procedure would have been futile, AHFC was not required to exhaust that contractual remedy before seeking relief before the superior court.