IJ's Cases
Texas Bans Doctors from Offering Medication to Their Patients Just to Protect Pharmacies from Competition
In most states, patients can purchase medication directly from the doctor prescribing it. But in Texas, doctors are banned from dispensing unless they practice in certain “rural” areas more than 15 miles from a pharmacy—a…
Economic Liberty | Hair Braiding | Occupational Licensing
Louisiana Hair Braiders Fight For Right To Earn An Honest Living
Hair-braiders in Louisiana are required to complete 500 hours of unnecessary and irrelevant training, pass an exam and pay annual licensing fees just to do their job. Many hair braiders have moved to neighboring states,…
Commercial Speech | First Amendment | Sign Codes
Mandan's "mural police" goes after art the city does not like
In 2019, the city of Mandan told Augie and Brian they’d have to remove their mural because it promoted a business. Augie and Brian successfully teamed up with IJ to stop the town’s law which…
Code Enforcement | Fines and Fees | Private Property
Florida Man Could Lose His Home For Having Long Grass
Nobody should lose their home because their grass is too long, but that’s exactly what the city of Dunedin is trying to do to Jim Ficken. Jim and IJ are fighting back against these excessive…
4th Amendment Project | Fines and Fees | Private Property
The Windy City Tows the Cars of Innocent People and Holds Them for Ransom
Chicago is towing the cars of innocent people and holding them for ransom. Victims of this unjust system are taking a stand, with IJ’s help, and calling for an end to this impound racket.
Civil Forfeiture | Private Property
Pennsylvania newspaper fights local district attorney to make forfeiture records public
Americans have a right to know details about misdeeds being committed by their government. LancasterOnline, a publication in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, worked with IJ to ensure citizens have access to information about what police are taking…
Indiana Bans Online Eye Tests to Protect Established Businesses from Competition
Indiana bans healthcare providers from conducting online eye tests, to protect established businesses from competition.
Fines and Fees | First Amendment | First Amendment Retaliation | Private Property
Norco, CA Enforcement Fees
Ron Mugar successfully saved his home in court from being taken by the city in a process called a receivership. But the receiver nonetheless charged Ron over $60,000 for “obstructive tactics” just for defending himself.
Eminent Domain | Private Property
Pipelines & Eminent Domain: Take Now, Pay (Much) Later
A pipeline company abused eminent domain to take property from the Erbs without paying them for the taking. IJ petitioned the Supreme Court to take the Erbs’ case, but unfortunately the court declined to hear…
Economic Liberty | First Amendment | First Amendment Retaliation | Transportation
Coast Guard-empowered private association concocts reasons to keep an experienced captain from working
Captain Matthew Hight thought he would earn a living navigating cargo carriers on the Great Lakes. Instead, an unholy alliance of a federal bureaucracy and a legalized monopoly suddenly rendered him a castaway. Now he’s…
Texas Food Trucks Sue for Right to Compete on South Padre Island
South Padre Island caps the number of food trucks in town at 12 and requires that all food trucks have a restaurant owner’s sign off on their permit applications. The Texas Constitution prevents the government…
Government Gag Orders
Government officials cannot be allowed to use the threat of overwhelming penalties and costly litigation to coerce people into forfeiting their First Amendment rights to speak freely. That is why the Cato Institute has joined…
Economic Liberty | First Amendment | Occupational Speech
License to Teach? Virginia Stops Family Business From Teaching Useful Job Skills
Jon and Tracy McGlothian wanted to teach job skills to adults in Virginia, but the state told them they could not do so without a license. With IJ’s help, Jon and Tracy were able to…
Can States Bar Newcomers from Owning a Business?
A Tennessee law required that in order to open a liquor store, one must be a Tennessee resident for two years. With help from IJ, Doug and Mary Ketchum challenged this law, bringing it all…
Cosmetology | Economic Liberty | Fresh Start | Occupational Licensing
Law Denies Women Right to Work Because of Irrelevant Criminal Convictions
A Pennsylvania law prevented Amanda and Courtney from earning an honest living because of unrelated criminal records. After IJ stepped in to defend their rights, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court ruled this law was unconstitutional.
Food Truck Owners Challenge One of the Most Anti-Competitive Vending Restrictions in the Country
Fort Pierce, Florida used to have an incredibly restrictive rule that banned food trucks from operating within 500 feet of a brick-and-mortar restaurant. After two food truck operators partnered with IJ, a court ruled the…
4th Amendment Project | Private Property | Rental Inspections
Class Action Lawsuit Challenges Seattle’s Mandatory Rental Inspection Law
A group of landlords and tenants worked together with IJ to challenge a Seattle law that allows city officials to inspect rental properties without a warrant. Unfortunately, after minor reforms were made, a court allowed…
Other Property Rights Abuses | Private Property | Private Solutions to Public Problems | Right to Shelter
Akron Homeless Advocate Sues for Right to Shelter the Homeless
Sage Lewis is using his commercial property to build a community for those experiencing homelessness, with the hope of helping them transition from the streets to permanent housing. The city of Akron is attempting to…
No Meals on Wheels—Wisconsin Town Stops Family Business From Operating State-Licensed Food Truck on Its Own Private Property
The town of Gibraltar and Door County, Wisconsin once had full-blown ban on food vending trucks, that is until IJ stepped in. After hearing IJ’s case on behalf of food truck operators, a Door County…
Economic Liberty | First Amendment | Health | Occupational Licensing | Occupational Speech
Texas Veterinarian Renews Fight to Give Professional Advice Online
Ron Hines is a veterinarian who offers advice online to customers all over the country, but Texas said his speech was illegal. Now his case can move ahead on First Amendment grounds.
Food-Truck Owners Challenge Ban on Competition
In late August 2018, a little over a week after IJ launched a lawsuit, challenging Carolina Beach’s food truck restrictions, the town repealed its food truck restrictions due to the threat of IJ’s lawsuit.
Commercial Speech | First Amendment | Other Property Rights Abuses | Private Property
Outdated Federal Law Threatens Unique Richmond Publisher
Valancourt Books, in Richmond, Virginia, has partnered with IJ to challenge a federal law that requires book publishers to provide two free copies of every book it publishes or face fines that could total in…
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…
North Carolina CONs Patients: Outdated Law Prevents Doctor From Providing Transparently Priced, Low-Cost MRI Scans
In Spring 2020, Dr. Gajendra Singh had to close his imaging center, in part because of the enormous costs imposed by the CON law. As a result, Dr. Singh’s lawsuit could not continue, but shortly…
Economic Liberty | First Amendment | Occupational Licensing | Occupational Speech
Mississippi Regulatory Board Sues Tech Entrepreneurs to Prevent Competition
An overly-broad statute defined a small mapping company in Mississippi as an “unlicensed surveying” company. This statute would have shut down Vizaline, but with help from IJ, Vizaline fought back to protect its First Amendment…
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…
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…
Educational Choice | Publicly Funded Scholarships
Puerto Rico School Choice
In March 2018, the Puerto Rican legislature enacted the Free School Selection Program, which gives needy families scholarships so that they can send their children to the school of their choice. A teachers’ union immediately…
Code Enforcement | Fines and Fees | Private Property
Police Must Serve and Protect, Not Ticket to Collect
The Supreme Court has made it clear that it is unconstitutional for a justice system to be influenced by perverse incentives to raise municipal revenue. That’s why two Doraville homeowners and two Doraville drivers have…