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Legal Aspects of Code Administration Questions
with Verified Answers 2026
Liability - ANSWER Legal obligation to perform some act.
Why is it crucial that building officials learn to cope with public
scrutiny that results from legally defending their activities? -
ANSWER Lawsuits continue to be brought against building
officials.
Why should an attorney from your state with expertise in
municipal law be consulted concerning the law relating to
building codes? - ANSWER The law differs from state to state
and municipality to municipality.
Historical cycle of building code adoption. - ANSWER 1-
Ignorance & freewheeling construction. 2-Degeneration of
construction techniques & population increase. 3-Disaster
strikes 4-Adoption & promulgation of building codes.
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Name 3 early tragedies caused by freewheeling construction. -
ANSWER 1-Collapse of a Roman amphitheater in 27 A.D. 2-
Citywide fires in London in 1212 & 1666. 3- The Chicago fire of
1871.
ultra vires - ANSWER Literally, "beyond the powers." An entity
has acted beyond the scope of its power.
null and void - ANSWER Having no legal force of binding effect.
Dillon's Rule States that a municipal corporation has only those
powers which are. - ANSWER 1-expressly granted to it by
charter or other state legislation. 2- implied or necessarily
incident to the express power. 3- essential and indispensable to
the declared objects and purposes of the corporation.
home rule - ANSWER Results in the apportioning of power
between state and local governments by providing local cities
and towns with a certain amount of self-government in return
for accepting certain terms of state law.
statue - ANSWER A law enacted by state or federal legislatures.
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What are the 3 major forms of local government? - ANSWER 1-
county 2-municipality 3-home rule municipality
Not fully protected by sovereign immunity - ANSWER Municipal
Government
Created by charter - ANSWER Municipal Government
Protected by sovereign immunity. - ANSWER County
Government
May act in areas without specific authorization from the state. -
ANSWER Home Rule Government
Viewed as a corporation established for the public good. -
ANSWER Municipal Government
Often adopted in public referendum. - ANSWER Municipal
Government
Legal Aspects of Code Administration Questions
with Verified Answers 2026
Liability - ANSWER Legal obligation to perform some act.
Why is it crucial that building officials learn to cope with public
scrutiny that results from legally defending their activities? -
ANSWER Lawsuits continue to be brought against building
officials.
Why should an attorney from your state with expertise in
municipal law be consulted concerning the law relating to
building codes? - ANSWER The law differs from state to state
and municipality to municipality.
Historical cycle of building code adoption. - ANSWER 1-
Ignorance & freewheeling construction. 2-Degeneration of
construction techniques & population increase. 3-Disaster
strikes 4-Adoption & promulgation of building codes.
,2|Page
Name 3 early tragedies caused by freewheeling construction. -
ANSWER 1-Collapse of a Roman amphitheater in 27 A.D. 2-
Citywide fires in London in 1212 & 1666. 3- The Chicago fire of
1871.
ultra vires - ANSWER Literally, "beyond the powers." An entity
has acted beyond the scope of its power.
null and void - ANSWER Having no legal force of binding effect.
Dillon's Rule States that a municipal corporation has only those
powers which are. - ANSWER 1-expressly granted to it by
charter or other state legislation. 2- implied or necessarily
incident to the express power. 3- essential and indispensable to
the declared objects and purposes of the corporation.
home rule - ANSWER Results in the apportioning of power
between state and local governments by providing local cities
and towns with a certain amount of self-government in return
for accepting certain terms of state law.
statue - ANSWER A law enacted by state or federal legislatures.
, 3|Page
What are the 3 major forms of local government? - ANSWER 1-
county 2-municipality 3-home rule municipality
Not fully protected by sovereign immunity - ANSWER Municipal
Government
Created by charter - ANSWER Municipal Government
Protected by sovereign immunity. - ANSWER County
Government
May act in areas without specific authorization from the state. -
ANSWER Home Rule Government
Viewed as a corporation established for the public good. -
ANSWER Municipal Government
Often adopted in public referendum. - ANSWER Municipal
Government
