Which case is associated with the Spearin Doctrine?

• A. US v. Spearin
• B. Brown v. Board
• C. Marbury v. Madison
• D. Roe v. Wade

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is risk allocation when the owner provides the design. The Spearin Doctrine says there is an implied warranty that owner-provided plans and specs are adequate to complete the work. In United States v. Spearin, the Supreme Court held that the contractor isn’t responsible for problems caused by defects in the owner’s specifications; since the government supplied the plans, the risk of those defects rests with the owner, and the contractor is entitled to adjustments or compensation for the added costs to address those defects. This principle shapes how changes and cost overruns are handled when the owner’s designs are flawed.

The other cases listed address entirely different legal principles (desegregation, judicial review, reproductive rights) and do not establish this rule.