A conversation with Garrett Reynolds about UpCodes' decade-long legal fight to keep building codes free, the impact of the Pro Codes Act, and how sustained litigation shapes the AEC industry.

Court records belong to the public. Yet anyone seeking access to federal court filings through PACER, a government software system that stands for Public Access to Court Electronic Records, is

Scott and Garrett Reynolds launched their company, UpCodes, with the aim of using technology to help anyone engaged in a building project more easily comply with the myriad codes regulating the field,...

House Judiciary examines who owns safety codes written by private groups that become law. Explore the copyright implications in this crucial hearing.

A House bill that would guarantee the copyrights of building, fire safety and other standard codes was at the center of a contentious hearing Tuesday, with advocates for and against the measure debati...

Explanation of the deceptively-named Pro Codes Act

Every relevant court that has looked at this question — including the Supreme Court — has agreed: no one can own the law. When private standards get incorporated into binding legal requirements, the public has a right to access them freely. The Fifth Circuit, the DC Circuit, and the First Circuit have all reached the same conclusion through different cases over the past two decades.

Public Knowledge promotes freedom of expression, an open internet, and access to affordable communications tools and creative works. We work to shape policy.

Explanation of the deceptively-named Pro Codes Act

Public Knowledge promotes freedom of expression, an open internet, and access to affordable communications tools and creative works. We work to shape policy.

Open access to building codes safeguards public safety and trust. Transparency ensures communities can build smarter, safer and more affordable spaces for everyone.

Testimony before the House Judiciary Committee on revisions of the U.S. Copyright Act

On Jul 8, 2025, ARL signed on to a letter to the House Judiciary Committee opposing the Pro Codes Act, arguing that it would inappropriately grant copyright protection to standards...

Explanation of the deceptively-named Pro Codes Act

Court after court has recognized that no one can own the text of the law. But the Pro Codes Act is a deceptive power grab that will help giant industry associations ration access to huge swaths of U.S...

National Fire Protection Assn spent $290,000 lobbying in 2024. See the lobbyists it hired.

The American Society for Testing and Materials has lost a bid to enjoin a website from posting ASTM's copyrighted technical standards for building projects, after a Pennsylvania federal judge concluded that what the website does is fair use.

The Crown Bookstore is a specialty store focused on British Columbia. The public can view and purchase a wide variety of nautical charts and maps, books specializing in titles about British Columbia, ...

Two appeals courts have recently rejected efforts by private parties to use copyright to restrict access to the laws that most directly affect ordinary citizens: regulations that ensure our homes, wor...

UpCodes is a comprehensive code compliance platform. Research, collaborate, and calculate code requirements efficiently, all in one place.

Contents 1. Introduction2. SurveillanceForeign Intelligence Surveillance Act Section 702Facial Recognition TechnologyBorder Search and Immigration SurveillanceSurveillance Tech at the Border and the V...

Some people just don’t know how to take a hint. For more than a decade, giant standards-development organizations (SDOs) have been fighting in courts around the country, trying use copyright law to co...

Recently, the U.S. Congress has been debating H.R.1631, also known as the Pro Codes Act. The bill would allow standards development organizations (SDOs)—creators of building codes, fire codes, electri...

Court after court has recognized that no one can own the text of the law. But the Pro Codes Act is a deceptive power grab that will help giant industry associations ration access to huge swaths of U.S...

As Chairman of the Anson County Board of Commissioners, I take seriously my responsibility to protect the individual liberties of our communities here and across North Carolina. This responsibility in...

Public Knowledge promotes freedom of expression, an open internet, and access to affordable communications tools and creative works. We work to shape policy.

YouTube video by The ConTech Crew

Court after court has recognized that no one can own the text of the law. But the Pro Codes Act is a deceptive power grab that will help giant industry associations ration access to huge swaths of U.S...