Water Professionals International sues a sewer district instructor and the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District over certification exam questions

The complaint

Water Professionals International v. John McGinnis and Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, No. 1:26-cv-02199-BMB (N.D. Ohio, Eastern Division), was filed September 10, 2026 (19 pages). The plaintiff, Water Professionals International (WPI), formerly the Association of Boards of Certification, is an Iowa nonprofit that writes certification exams for water and wastewater operators. The defendants are John McGinnis, alleged on information and belief to be an Ohio resident, and the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District. A docket entry the same day assigned the case to Judge Bridget Meehan Brennan. The complaint demands a jury trial. (Compl. caption; paras. 1 to 3, 7; minute entry of Sept. 10, 2026.)

The works

WPI alleges it registered the ABC Wastewater Treatment Class IV Standard Examination as TX 7-794-429 and the ABC Wastewater Treatment Item Bank as TXu 1-884-331, both on May 7, 2013 under its prior name, and that ownership was later transferred to WPI in writing. It alleges questions from those registered works appear in its 2017, 2019, and 2025 exams. (Compl. paras. 15 to 22, 32.)

What it alleges

The complaint alleges that McGinnis is the District's Plant Operations Lead Instructor, that he served as a WPI volunteer on exam committees from 2022 and signed a non-disclosure agreement, and that he posted study materials and exam cheat sheets to a public Google Drive, which it alleges on information and belief he created around October 9, 2023, and promoted it on Reddit. It alleges the drive held 93 questions from the 2017 exam, 98 from the 2019 exam, and 67 that also appeared on the 2025 exam, and that he distributed the material to District employees preparing for the exams. It alleges the District is vicariously liable as his employer. WPI says it must pay to develop a new exam, at a cost it says could exceed $500,000, and alleges, on information and belief, that the drive's contents remain available on request after it was made private. (Compl. paras. 23 to 50, 60 to 61.)

The counts and relief sought

Count I alleges copyright infringement against both defendants. Count II alleges misappropriation under the Ohio Uniform Trade Secrets Act, and Count III alleges misappropriation under the Defend Trade Secrets Act, 18 U.S.C. 1836. WPI asks for permanent injunctions, disclosure and destruction of its materials, actual damages it says exceed $500,000, the defendants' profits, statutory damages, treble damages under Ohio law, double damages under the federal statute, punitive damages, attorney's fees, and interest. (Compl. paras. 51 to 103 and prayers.)

Docket activity

Waivers of service for both defendants were filed September 17, 2026, setting their answers for November 9, 2026, and counsel appeared for both defendants on September 22, 2026. The court granted a motion to appear pro hac vice on October 9, 2026. (ECF Nos. 4 to 9; minute entry of Oct. 9, 2026.)