Immunity and Accountability | Private Property

Woman Seeks to Hold Police Accountable for Mistaken Identity Arrest

An innocent Texas woman was arrested in a case of mistaken identity while getting off a cruise in 2022. Now, she's suing Broward County for the unconstitutional arrest.

Immunity and Accountability | Private Property

New petition asks Supreme Court to let woman’s suit against her abuser’s enabler move forward after nearly a decade in court.

Desiree Martinez bravely reported to the police the abuse she had suffered at the hands of her boyfriend, Kyle Pennington. But Pennington was a police officer, and came from a family of officers. Instead of…

Immunity and Accountability | Private Property

Murphy v. Schmitt

Have you ever heard of someone being arrested and sent to jail for walking on the wrong side of the road? Probably not — because police officers never, or almost never, arrest people for such…

First Amendment | First Amendment Retaliation | Immunity and Accountability

Lawsuit Seeks Accountability for Unconstitutional Raid of a Political Opponent’s Home.

Ruth Herbel moved to Marion, Kansas, as a young woman and has lived there for over 60 years. She raised a family while serving in several state and federal government jobs. But rather than opt…

Immunity and Accountability | Private Property

Family seeks to hold officer accountable after he led SWAT raid at wrong house

Everyone who visits a home for the first time—including delivery drivers, plumbers, and Girl Scouts—knows that you have to make sure you have the right address before barging in. Somehow, Waxahachie Police Department (WPD) Lieutenant…

Economic Liberty | First Amendment | First Amendment Retaliation | Immunity and Accountability | Other Property Rights Abuses | Private Property

Virginia food truck owners file federal lawsuit after raging town councilmember damaged truck, town council repeatedly harassed them

Theslet Benoir and Clemene Bastien are a married couple that immigrated to the United States from Haiti in 2005. They received asylum, settled in Parksley, Virginia, and opened a brick-and-mortar store that caters to the…

Immunity and Accountability | Other Property Rights Abuses | Private Property | SWAT Destruction

A Police Raid Wrecked Her Home; Now a South Bend Mom Fights for Compensation

In South Bend, a SWAT team raided the wrong home, leaving a single mom with thousands of dollars in damage not covered by insurance. She is suing for compensation.

Immunity and Accountability | Private Property

Mother asks Supreme Court to hear case challenging immunity for school officials who abused her daughter

A New Orleans-area mother of a young girl is asking the United States Supreme Court to hear her case challenging a lower court’s decision to shield all violence by public-school officials from constitutional review. In…

Immunity and Accountability | Private Property

Task-Force Immunity and Accountability

Can a local police offifcer launder her lies and deceit through a state-federal task force to hide behind absolute federal immunity? IJ doesn’t think so, but with the help of the federal government, St. Paul…

Immunity and Accountability | Private Property

Louisiana Inmate Held 525 Days Past His Release Seeks Justice

Percy Taylor was kept in a Louisiana prison 525 days past his release date. He is not alone in being held beyond his sentence in a Louisiana detention facility. In January 2023, the U.S. Department…

Immunity and Accountability | Private Property | SWAT Destruction

Innocent Small Business Owner Seeks Compensation After Shop Destroyed by SWAT Team

For thirty years, Carlos Pena ran a print shop in North Hollywood. His world was turned upside down, however, in August 2022, when a fugitive forced his way into Carlos’s shop and barricaded himself inside…

4th Amendment Project | Immunity and Accountability | Private Property

Lawsuit seeks to hold law enforcement accountable for violating Texan’s constitutional rights

Alek Schott partnered with the Institute for Justice (IJ) to announce a federal lawsuit against Bexar County deputies for illegally stopping him for a traffic violation that he didn’t commit, and then using the stop…

First Amendment | First Amendment Retaliation | Immunity and Accountability

Group of immigrant nurses ask Supreme Court to hear case against prosecutor who brought bogus claims against them

A group of immigrant nurses whom rogue prosecutors tried to subject to indentured servitude, and their attorney who was criminally charged for providing legal advice, are asking the United States Supreme Court to hear their…

4th Amendment Project | First Amendment | First Amendment Retaliation | Immunity and Accountability | Private Property

Arrested and Prosecuted for his Reporting, Citizen Journalist Defends His First Amendment Rights with Federal Lawsuit

Justin Pulliam, a citizen journalist in Texas, was arrested and prosecuted for his reporting on the activities of the Fort Bend County Sheriff. He is defending his First Amendment rights with a federal lawsuit.

Immunity and Accountability | Private Property

An Officer’s Lies Ruined the Lives of Dozens, Yet The Courts Protect Her from Accountability

It is well documented that St. Paul police officer Heather Weyker fabricated a crime ring and single-handedly ruined the lives of dozens of people, who she landed in federal prison through what one federal…

First Amendment | First Amendment Retaliation | Immunity and Accountability

J.T.H., et al v. Spring Cook, et al.

Investigations can be an effective tool for intimidation. Government officials across the ideological spectrum weaponize this power to punish those who speak out against them. The stories of junk investigations are legion. Los Angeles just…

Immunity and Accountability | Private Property

Man fights to uphold court ruling that judges aren't above the law

The Institute for Justice (IJ) teamed up with a West Virginia man whose rights were violated by a Raleigh County family court judge. IJ and Matthew Gibson are urging the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of…

4th Amendment Project | Immunity and Accountability | Private Property

Couple Sues Alexandria Over Unconstitutional Traffic Stop and Roadside Interrogation

Mario Rosales and his girlfriend were pulled over for failing to signal, but a police camera clearly showed him signaling. Now Mario is suing over the Alexandria Police Department's "fishing trip" traffic stops.

First Amendment | First Amendment Retaliation | Immunity and Accountability

Ohio Man Arrested and Prosecuted for Facebook Joke Appeals to Supreme Court

Anthony Novak was arrested by his local police after he parodied the department on Facebook. His lawsuit against the city was dismissed after the officers were given qualified immunity.

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.

Immunity and Accountability | Private Property

Lawsuit Appeal Asks Court If Deputy Should Get Immunity Even Though His Actions Landed Him in Prison

Mario Rosales was held at gunpoint by an off-duty sheriff's deputy even though he had done nothing wrong. Still, a court granted the officer qualified immunity and dismissed Mario's civil rights lawsuit.

4th Amendment Project | First Amendment | First Amendment Retaliation | Immunity and Accountability | Political Speech | Private Property

East Cleveland’s Government Weaponized its Police to Punish a Political Opponent. He’s Fighting to Hold It Accountable.

Cities can’t use the police to punish political speech.

Immunity and Accountability | Private Property

U.S. Supreme Court Appeal: Government Official with No Police Authority Pulled Over and Detained Drivers, Yet Granted Qualified Immunity

Can any government employee—such as a highway engineer who was never granted any police authority whatsoever—pull you over and detain you? Yes, at least if one federal appeals court gets its way.

4th Amendment Project | Immunity and Accountability | Private Property

Oakland Activist Sues to Hold Postal Officers Accountable for Illegal Search and Seizure of his Mail

The U.S. Post Office cannot open someone's mail without getting a warrant.

Immunity and Accountability | Private Property

Former Texas Prosecutor Worked as a Law Clerk in His Own Cases, Giving the Government an Unfair Advantage Over Those He Prosecuted

Everybody knows your prosecutor can’t also be your judge. Everyone, that is, except for former Midland County, Texas, prosecutor Ralph Petty, his supervisor, and the county’s entire system of justice. Petty spent 20 years moonlighting…

4th Amendment Project | Immunity and Accountability | Private Property

A court said the Fourth Amendment’s protection against unwarranted arrests is “hazy.” Now, with IJ’s help, a family is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to clear the haze and rein in police’s ability to arrest someone for no reason.

A police officer in Arkansas held two innocent children at gun point when he was supposed to be searching for an adult suspect. IJ is asking the Supreme Court to hear the family’s case and…

Immunity and Accountability | Private Property

Will Federal Cops Remain Above the Law?

When police violate the rights of Americans, as they did to Kevin Byrd and Hamdi Mahmoud, they should be held accountable. IJ is asking the Supreme Court to take both of these cases and ensure…

Immunity and Accountability | Private Property | SWAT Destruction

Woman Fights for Compensation After House Destroyed by SWAT Team

Police destroyed Vicki Baker’s home while pursuing a fugitive, costing her tens of thousands of dollars and leaving her daughter’s dog with hearing loss. The city refused to pay for the damage it caused. IJ…

4th Amendment Project | Immunity and Accountability | Private Property

Oliva v. Nivar

José Oliva was brutally beaten by federal officers in an unprovoked attack at a VA Hospital. This attack violated his Fourth Amendment rights, and IJ filed a petition to have the Supreme Court take on…

First Amendment | First Amendment Retaliation | Immunity and Accountability

Texas woman fights back after local officials in Castle Hills have her arrested and jailed for criticizing city government

After she won her election to city council, Sylvia Gonzalez immediately began getting harassed by city officials whom she had criticized in the past. It got so bad she was even arrested and thrown in…