Obligation-Conflict Resolution

Case 24-5 (2024) · Sustainable Development and Resilient Infrastructure

Case Precedents

How this case resolved it competition structure in OntServe

Engineer K Decision Deference Duty prevails over Engineer K Sustainability Promotion Duty

the two obligations are in tension (competesWith)

this resolution as a triple in OntServe

the yielding obligation gives way only under (defeasibleUnder):

City Officials Public Accountability

Engineer K Faithful Agent Duty prevails over Engineer K Sustainability Promotion Duty

the two obligations are in tension (competesWith)

this resolution as a triple in OntServe

the yielding obligation gives way only under (defeasibleUnder):

City Officials Public Accountability

What the board concluded

From the Board's conclusions in Case 24-5:

Engineer K should present both approaches to the City if Engineer K believes both are viable solutions.
Because Engineer K has entered into a contract to design the new flood water control system, Engineer K has an ethical obligation to act as a faithful agent or trustee. Engineer K is ethically obligated to fulfill their contractual obligations to the City and continue to design the Traditional Approach as approved by the City.

How comparable cases resolved this and related tensions

Read at the type level, this resolution is: Professional Accountability Obligation yields to Faithful Agent Obligation. Comparison across cases happens at this level; the duty types recur while each case's obligations instantiate them. Cases below are grouped by how much of that pairing they share. A duty type that yields here may prevail elsewhere, which is the context-dependence itself, not an inconsistency.

Same tension: both duty types match, so the board ruled on this exact pairing. Related tension: only one duty type matches; the other duty differs, so these show how a type behaves elsewhere rather than a ruling on this pairing.

Case	Prevailing type	Yielding type	Relation to this case
Same tension: both duty types match (5)
97-13 Duty To Report Unrelated Information...	Faithful Agent Obligation	Safety Obligation	Same tension, resolved the same way
24-1 Balancing Client Directives and Public...	Safety Obligation	Faithful Agent Obligation	Same tension, resolved the opposite way
76-4 Public Welfare - Knowledge of Information...	Safety Obligation	Faithful Agent Obligation	Same tension, resolved the opposite way
89-7 Duty To Report Safety Violations	Safety Obligation	Faithful Agent Obligation	Same tension, resolved the opposite way
92-6 Public Welfare - Hazardous Waste	Safety Obligation	Faithful Agent Obligation	Same tension, resolved the opposite way
Related tension: one duty type matches (17)
89-7 Duty To Report Safety Violations	Safety Obligation	Confidentiality Obligation	The yielding type here prevails there
18-9 Public Health and Safety—Building Codes to...	Safety Obligation	Proactive Risk Disclosure Obligation	The yielding type here prevails there
18-9 Public Health and Safety—Building Codes to...	Safety Obligation	Safety Withdrawal and Notification Obligation	The yielding type here prevails there
93-8 Use Of Broad Indemnification Clause For...	Professional Accountability Obligation	Legal Obligation	The yielding type here prevails there
90-5 Failure To Report Information Affecting...	Safety Obligation	Confidentiality Obligation	The yielding type here prevails there
85-3 P.E. Requirement for County Surveyor Position	Competence Obligation	Legal Obligation	The yielding type here prevails there
96-8 Peer Review - Confidentiality Agreements	Safety Obligation	Confidentiality Obligation	The yielding type here prevails there
22-2 Sharing As-Built Drawings	Disclosure Obligation	Faithful Agent Obligation	The prevailing type here yields there
76-4 Public Welfare - Knowledge of Information...	Reporting Obligation	Faithful Agent Obligation	The prevailing type here yields there
89-7 Duty To Report Safety Violations	Reporting Obligation	Faithful Agent Obligation	The prevailing type here yields there
88-6 Whistleblowing - City Engineer	Safety Withdrawal and Notification Obligation	Faithful Agent Obligation	The prevailing type here yields there
82-2 Confidentiality of Engineering Report	Confidentiality Obligation	Faithful Agent Obligation	The prevailing type here yields there
23-4 Acknowledging Errors in Design	Objectivity Obligation	Professional Accountability Obligation	The yielding type here also yields there, to a different duty
98-5 Public Health And Safety - Code Enforcement	Public Safety Obligation	Competence Obligation	The yielding type here also yields there, to a different duty
93-3 Appropriate Notification And Review Of...	Faithful Agent Obligation	Peer Review Cooperation Obligation	The prevailing type here also prevails there, over a different duty
08-10 Public Welfare—Design of Medical Equipment	Faithful Agent Obligation	Reporting Obligation	The prevailing type here also prevails there, over a different duty
85-4 Objectivity of Engineer Retained as Expert	Faithful Agent Obligation	Objectivity Obligation	The prevailing type here also prevails there, over a different duty

No other committed case closely matches this exact pair of obligations yet.