Are you a hunter? Have you seen game wardens snooping around your private property without permission?

We want to hear from you!

Game wardens often think they can trespass on your private land due to an old legal rule called the “open fields doctrine.” That rule, which stems from a 1924 Supreme Court decision, essentially says that government officers do not need a warrant to enter private land under the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

However, many state constitutions provide greater protection for individual rights than the Fourth Amendment—and your state may have one of them! Please fill out the form below and provide information on your situation to see if we can help.

Hunter Hollingsworth and Terry Rainwaters of Camden, TN partnered with the Institute for Justice to challenge the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency’s practice of trespassing on so-called “open fields” (private land) without consent or a warrant.

The Institute for Justice is a nonprofit, public-interest law firm dedicated to the protection of constitutional rights, including private property rights. IJ is currently representing two Tennessee landowners in a lawsuit to prevent state game wardens from entering their property without a warrant.

Step 1 of 3

Are state officials entering your land without a warrant?*
- Yes
- No

Please describe what happened:*

Name*
First Last
Street Address
City
State
Phone
Email*

Open Fields Case Intake Landing Page

Are you a hunter? Have you seen game wardens snooping around your private property without permission?

We want to hear from you!

Step 1 of 3

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