@ActionDave
we (or at least) I am not talking about what happens after the inspector leaves. Never have been since my first statement. What I said was when an inspector does a rough in inspection sometimes things change from what was originally done to what ends up being present at the final....it happens because I have seen it first hand so is very true.
in terms of an inspector giving a final inspection and walking away from that job having given an approval is serious business for an inspector. If the inspector and the chief inspector will not do the inspection until counters are in then it is their call. The job is still not complete until they sign off on it.....the permit also remains open as well.
Just as an FYI i direct you to a lawsuit in Alabama where an inspector is being sued as we speak and it happens in other states as well. As with any job (good or bad skills) the potential is always there. But I will say this, you don't get to make that call and you don't get to judge if that inspector is good or bad....he just made a call you potentially disagree with.
to answer your statement..."an inspector can sign off on anything he wants" well I had one that did and I fired him....he signed off on something he didn't actually inspect, I did a quality check on him and his poor judgement put the jurisdiction at risk. He had a track record which I documented, then the inspector made the bone head move and I pulled his trigger. Sadly he was actually a good inspector, but actions demand reactions.
the pure notion that inspectors are immune from legal responsibility is foolish at best, granted there are 50 states out in this country and everyone is different but in the 11 states I am intimate with the laws are the same. You don't sign off unless it's perceived compliance and that is a very "broad" scope laid out by the building officials to guard against misfeasance and malfeasance actions.
again..pointless debate in my mind, install the plywood tops and move on.