Criminal prosecutions are rare in the field of building code enforcement but when there is a high profile death that results from shoddy construction, indictments do happen. Recently […]
Building Codes / Code Enforcement / Court cases / Liability
Posted on:
City tears down building without owner’s knowledge
An owner of a building in Chicago received a big shock when his building was torn down without his knowledge. He alleges in a civil lawsuit against the […]
Building Codes / Liability / Politics and building codes
Posted on:
Case dismissed against inspector charged with negligent homicide
A number of inspectors have shown an interest in the case of the Aspen inspector charged with negligent homicide because a family died of carbon monoxide poisoning in […]
Code Enforcement / Court cases / Law Enforcement and Codes / Liability / Politics and building codes
Posted on:
Inspector faces manslaughter trial
A former inspector for Aspen, CO faces criminal negligent homicide charges for the death of a family due to carbon monoxide poisoning. A pipe from the boiler used […]
Code Enforcement / Fire Prevention / Liability / property maintenance
Posted on:
Insurance company denies coverage in fire
Insurance companies can be allies in the fight for life/safety compliance. They have considerable power over property. If persons insured by the companies don’t live up to the […]
Building Codes / Liability
Posted on:
Insurance consequences of working without a permit
There are consequences for the homeowner who has work done on his or her home without a permit beyond contending with the local building official. What if a […]
Court cases / Fire Prevention / Liability / training
Posted on:
Region III conference in Minnesota
I actually escaped the snow in Chicago this week by heading up to the Region III ICC conference in Minnesota where the weather was sunny. I always have […]
Building Codes / Code Enforcement / Court cases / Liability / Politics / Politics and building codes
Posted on:
Politicians and Code Violations
It’s always disturbing when a code enforcement action is answered with a threatened or actual lawsuit on the part of the alleged offender. Instead of focusing on the […]
Building Codes / Fire Prevention / Liability
Posted on:
Revoking a Certificate of Occupancy
Revoking a certificate of occupancy can be an important means of obtaining compliance. A strip club in Maine had its certificate of occupancy revoked recently. The Portland Press […]
Building Codes / Code Enforcement / Fire Prevention / Liability / property maintenance
Posted on:
Worst Bathroom in New York
There’s a very descriptive article about the worst bathroom in New York City at http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/08/the-worst-bathroom-in-new-york/ Justin said that a pipe had burst last January, gushing enough scalding water […]