Prepare a Northern Territory adjudication application or the 15-working-day response
MaintainedLast reviewed
Key facts
- Human involvement
- RedLawyer-led
- How AI is used
- Extract the day the application was served, the parties to be served and the contract documents attached into a service list.
- What the lawyer must review
- Settle the application or response
- Approve what is served; the service list does not decide the contents
Rules that apply
The document starts from the task name. Change it if this piece of work is different.
The work product
Forum. Northern Territory
Produce. An adjudication application that meets section 28, or a response served within 15 working days under section 29, with the service list attached.
Have ready. The payment claim and the facts that make it a payment dispute; The construction contract or the relevant extracts; The Act, sections 28, 29, 33 and 44; The Northern Territory Government construction-dispute page.
Example of the limit. The application is served on the other party on a working day. Section 29(1) requires that party to prepare a written response and serve it within 15 working days after the date of service, on the applicant, on any other party already served, and on the appointed adjudicator or, if none is appointed, on the prescribed appointer. If a response is served, section 33 gives the adjudicator 10 working days after the date of service of the response. The adjudicator may add 5 working days under section 33(2B).
Stop and hand it back when
- The response is timed at 10 business days because that is a Western Australian adjudication response. Section 29(1) says 15 working days after the date of service.
- The government page “28 days” is used for a further application after a deemed dismissal. Section 39(2)(b) says 20 working days after the previous application is taken to be dismissed.
- A suspension notice is given on 3 calendar days because the government page says “at least three days’ notice”. Section 44(2)(c) says the notice must be given at least 3 working days before the stated date.
- The prescribed time is taken from the government page without opening section 33. The Act defines it as 10 working days after service of the response, or 10 working days after the last date for a response if none is served.
Sources for this task were checked on 2026-09-22.
Who does what
| Role | What they do |
|---|---|
| Assistance | Supporting preparation only. Extract the day the application was served, the parties to be served and the contract documents attached into a service list. Substantive advice, judgement and any restricted content remain with the responsible human. |
| Lawyer | Perform the substantive analysis and decisions. Independently check any permitted supporting work and approve the exact output for its intended use. |
Checklist
- Prepare the application under section 28: contract or extracts, the payment claim, and the submissions relied on. Serve it on each other party and on the adjudicator or prescribed appointer in section 28(1)(c), inside the 65 working days worked out in the companion task.
- For a party who is served, serve the written response within 15 working days after the date of service, on the applicant, on every other party already served, and on the adjudicator or the prescribed appointer.
- Record the prescribed time in section 33 as 10 working days after service of the response, or 10 working days after the last day for a response. The adjudicator may add 5 working days under section 33(2B). If the time ends without a dismissal or a determination, a further application is within 20 working days under section 39(2)(b).
- If payment under a determination is missed, a section 44 notice must state the suspension date and be given at least 3 working days before that date. Do not shorten that to 3 calendar days.
Sources
- Construction Contracts (Security of Payments) Act 2004 (NT), as in force at 25 May 2024, official Word text · 2026-09-22
- Northern Territory legislation: Construction Contracts (Security of Payments) Act 2004 · 2026-09-22
- Northern Territory Government: Get help to resolve a construction dispute · 2026-09-22
Suggested working checks from the linked public source. Read that source before you rely on the check. This is not a record that the check has been done.