I know what you’re thinking. Municipal codes? This has nothing to do with my job or the research I regularly need. Good point. What if your house catches on fire and the fire hydrant across the street does not work? A fire truck loses one of its hoses on the main highway in town and causes an accident. Do you have a remedy? It’s in the municipal code. The police knock down the wrong door and the someone gets hurt – or worse, is killed? In each situation, the If you want to sue the city or town you live in, there’s a procedure just like state and federal courts, especially if you want to end up in state or federal court.
I used to work for a municipality and have hundreds of examples of situations where something happened that caused someone wanted to make a complaint, complain about a neighbor, condemn a building, or sue the municipality. If you live in any type of municipality, you are affected by the municipal code.
In your state statutes, you will usually find the municipal code under “Cities and Towns.” You can also find often find it simply by typing in the name of the town or city in your browser. This excellent beginner’s research guide tells you how to navigate it and more. I highly recommend a bookmark. -CCE
