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ICC News Release

For Immediate Release: June 21, 2024

International Code Council Files Lawsuit Against DrJ Engineering, LLC

The lawsuit asserts trademark infringement and false advertising

Washington D.C. – The International Code Council and its subsidiary ICC Evaluation Service, LLC (ICC-ES) have filed a lawsuit against DrJ Engineering, LLC in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The lawsuit asserts that DrJ Engineering has infringed the Code Council trademarks and made false or misleading statements regarding the Code Council and ICC-ES on DrJ Engineering’s website.

The lawsuit alleges various misconduct on the part of DrJ Engineering, including falsely describing its goods and services as “ICC-Approved” and posting a document bearing the Code Council’s registered trademark that DrJ Engineering describes as an “ICC Product Approval Checklist for Code Officials.” This document was not developed or authorized by the Code Council, and DrJ Engineering’s goods and services are not approved by the Code Council. Additionally, the lawsuit alleges that DrJ Engineering makes statements on its website creating the false or misleading impression that it possesses more accreditations than ICC-ES.

The Code Council’s mission is to provide the information, tools, and resources that members rely on, building safety professionals turn to, and the public trusts. Our codes, standards, and solutions for the building safety industry are developed and maintained by leading industry experts and backed by our thirty-year history of excellence.

The Code Council filed this lawsuit after DrJ Engineering failed to comply with the Code Council’s request to remove the offending materials from its website and other materials.  

In its complaint, the Code Council seeks to enjoin DrJ Engineering’s trademark infringement and false advertising conduct, and to ensure that customers can trust that the Code Council is in fact the source of all goods or services displaying the Code Council’s trademarks.

The Code Council is committed to preventing deceptive trade practices and protecting the public and its trademarks, which are important signifiers of the high-quality goods and services the Code Council provides. For more information about the Code Council and its important mission, visit www.iccsafe.org/about/who-we-are/.

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About the International Code Council
The International Code Council is the leading global source of model codes and standards and building safety solutions. Code Council codes, standards and solutions are used to ensure safe, affordable and sustainable communities and buildings worldwide.