Hilary is a senior paralegal at IJ’s Washington State office. She has worked as a paralegal since 2015 and has experience assisting attorneys through all stages of litigation. Hilary earned her B.A. in Environmental Studies from the University of Washington and was born and raised in the Seattle area, where she continues to enjoy life in the Pacific Northwest.
Hilary's Cases
Economic Liberty | Education Entrepreneurship | Occupational Licensing
Private School, Teacher, and Parent Fight for Integrity, Innovation, and the Century-Old Promise of Freedom
The Case When Capstone Classical Academy opened in Fargo, North Dakota, in 2022, its goal was simple: hire the best teachers possible. At first, the school focused on finding talented educators…
Economic Liberty | Private Property | Zoning Justice Project
She Spent Her Life Savings to Open a New Salon, Zoning Is Dashing Her Dreams
In Clayton County, Georgia, government officials blocked Khalilah Few from opening her natural hair salon—simply because they didn't think it’s the “right fit” for the neighborhood.
Eminent Domain | Private Property
New Jersey Properties Blighted Just Because City Wants Them, Not Because Anything is Wrong With Them
Honey Meerzon and Luis Romero came from different backgrounds but have many things in common. Their parents both fled oppressive government regimes in search of a better life for their children.
Private Property | Private Solutions to Public Problems | Right to Shelter | Zoning Justice Project
With Winter Coming, the Institute for Justice Sues Kalispell, Montana, to Keep Warming Shelter Open
The Flathead Warming Center—an emergency shelter in Kalispell, Montana—suffered a cruel blow as winter approaches. On September 16, 2024, the Kalispell City Council voted 6-3 to revoke the Warming Center’s permit,…
Fines and Fees | Private Property | Rule of Law
Santa Clara Winery Sues to End Unconstitutional Zoning Code Fines
Owners of a historic vineyard and winery provided safe, affordable housing for their long-time employee and his family. For that, they have been fined more than $120,000.
Eminent Domain | Private Property
Small Businesses Sue St. Louis Suburb to Save Their Locations From Bogus Blight Designation
A St. Louis suburb is trying to pave the way for a massive redevelopment by calling well-kept loved family businesses.
Rule of Law | Unjust Proceedings
Lawsuit Challenges Department of Labor’s Use of Administrative Law Judges to Hand Down Ruinous Fines
When the Department of Labor fined Chuck Saine over $50,000, the agency’s own employees served as prosecutor, judge, and jury.
First Amendment | First Amendment Retaliation | Immunity and Accountability
Wayne County Seized His Car Without Evidence. When He Spoke Out, They Filed Criminal Charges to Silence Him.
Wayne County prosecutors retaliated against Robert Reeves for joining a lawsuit challenging the county's civil forfeiture program.
Housing Abundance and Affordability | Other Property Rights Abuses | Private Property | Private Solutions to Public Problems | Zoning Justice Project
Lawsuit Challenges Seattle’s Mandatory Housing Affordability Law—A Law That Makes Building Housing Unaffordable
Seattle's Mandatory Housing Affordability law is making it unaffordable to build housing.
First Amendment | First Amendment Retaliation | Immunity and Accountability
Louisiana Man Arrested for Facebook Joke Seeks to Hold Sheriff’s Deputies Accountable
Waylon Bailey was arrested after making a joke about his local sheriff's office. His First Amendment lawsuit was dismissed after the deputies were granted qualified immunity.
Cosmetology | Economic Liberty
Licensed Eyelash Extension Specialist Sues for Right to Do Job
Brandy Davis is a licensed eyelash extension specialist who is being blocked from doing her job by the Oklahoma Board of Cosmetology and Licensing. She's suing in state court to challenge the board's licensing requirements.
First Amendment | First Amendment Retaliation | Housing Abundance and Affordability | Private Property | Right to Shelter | Zoning Justice Project
Meridian Woman Fights City’s Ban on Living in Tiny Homes on Wheels, Which Has Left Her Homeless
Chasidy Decker is a native to the Boise area who wants to live in the tiny home that suits her.
Civil Forfeiture | Private Property
Woman Appeals to Get $8,000 Back After Police Seized it Without Charging Her With Any Crime
Cristal Starling runs a mobile food cart in Rochester, New York, to provide for herself and her grandnephew. She dreamed of expanding the business into a food truck, and she saved enough money to do just that. But in the fall of 2020, the local police raided her apartment and seized $8,040—the money she was going to use to pursue her dream. She was never charged with or suspected of a crime.
Fines and Fees | Private Property | Rule of Law
People Abused by Small Town’s “Policing for Profit” File Class Action Seeking Accountability
Victims of Brookside, Alabama's policing abuses filed a class action to affirm that police must act in the interest of justice, not their pocketbooks.
Civil Forfeiture | Private Property
Armored Car Company Sues Federal Law Enforcement and a California Sheriff After Series of Illegal Roadside Seizures
An armored car company sued after a California sheriff teamed up with federal law enforcement to take proceeds from legal cannabis businesses.
Rule of Law | Unjust Proceedings
Family Farm Facing Ruinous Fines Sues Agency that Acts as Prosecutor, Judge and Jury
Family Farm Facing Ruinous Fines Sues Agency that Acts as Prosecutor, Judge and Jury
Civil Forfeiture | Private Property
Nevada Cops Use Civil Forfeiture To Steal a Veteran’s Life Savings
Marine veteran Stephen Lara was left on the side of the highway in Nevada without any money, after police took his life savings without ever charging him with any wrongdoing. Stephen has teamed up with IJ to get his money back and make sure the DEA follows the rules moving forward.
Fines and Fees | Private Property | Rule of Law
Small Wisconsin Town Weaponizes Code Enforcement to Enrich a Private Law Firm and Target Its Critics
The town of Eagle, WI works with a private law firm to punish residents who speak out against town officials by hitting them with excessive fines and fees through the code enforcement process. Victims of this corrupt system have joined with IJ to push back and say: prosecutors must serve the public interest, not their own pocketbooks.
Rule of Law | Unjust Proceedings
Memphis Residents File Lawsuit Against Shelby County Environmental Court for Affording No Real Due Process
When a court proceeding may result in a person losing their home, the U.S. Constitution demands a fair process with rigorous safeguards against erroneous deprivation. But the process is Shelby County, Tennessee, is anything but fair. IJ has partnered with two victims of the court to ensure the court comes into compliance with the Constitution’s Due Process Clause.
Rule of Law | Unjust Proceedings
New Orleans Ankle Monitors
Judges must be impartial when deciding to deprive a person of his or her property. Unfortunately, one judge in New Orleans has been ordering individuals to wear an ankle monitor from a company in which he has a personal financial stake. Two of those individuals have joined with IJ to challenge this corrupt system.
4th Amendment Project | Civil Forfeiture | Private Property
Class Action Lawsuit Challenges Detroit’s Unconstitutional Civil Forfeiture Program
For decades, residents of Detroit and Wayne County, Michigan have lived under constant threat of having their cars taken away and ransomed back to them for $1,000 or more—that is, if the car is ever recovered. In 2020, two Detroiters teamed up with IJ to challenge this unconstitutional civil forfeiture program.
Educational Choice
Lawsuit Challenges Religious Discrimination in Washington Work-Study Program
Summit Christian Academy wanted to hire college students to be tutors under the state’s work-study program, but Washington officials barred the academy from doing so, simply because it’s a religious school. After IJ got involved in the case, Washington repealed its “sectarian” exclusion, ending this discriminatory practice.
Economic Liberty | Health | Occupational Licensing
Breastfeeding Battle: IJ Defeats Georgia's License for Lactation Consultants
For decades, Mary Jackson has worked as a lactation consultant, helping new moms and babies during a critical time in their lives. Then one day, Georgia passed the nation’s most restrictive licensing regime for lactation counselors, shutting down her business. Mary and a nonprofit dedicated to providing breastfeeding support to minority communities, teamed up with IJ to fight back against this ridiculous licensure scheme.
Civil Forfeiture | Private Property
U.S. Customs & Border Protection Unlawfully Seizes Cleveland Family’s Life Savings, Won’t Give It Back
Rustem Kazazi, a retired police officer from Albania, who now leaves in a Cleveland suburb, was flying home to Albania when Customs and Border Patrol stripped him naked and took his family’s money through the process of civil forfeiture. Following this ordeal, he teamed up with IJ and won his money back in federal court.
Private Property | Small and Home-Based Business | Zoning Justice Project
Land Grab in Dallas
Fines and Fees | Private Property | Rule of Law
Class Action Lawsuit Challenges Policing for Profit in St. Louis Co. Municipal Court System
Economic Liberty | Transportation
Charting a New Course for Economic Liberty: Challenging Lake Chelan’s Government-Imposed Ferry Monopoly Under the Fourteenth Amendment’s Privileges or Immunities Clause
Jim and Cliff Courtney have a plan to bring economic prosperity to their small community. Unfortunately, the state of Washington has sunk their plan with a law that requires them to obtain a certificate of “public convenience and necessity” from the state in order to pick up and drop off passengers.