Economic Liberty Cases

Economic Liberty | First Amendment | Occupational Licensing

Lawsuit Challenges Arizona Engineering Licensing Law

Greg Mills has been an engineer for more than 30 years, but now a group of industry insiders on a government board are saying he needs a license he does not actually need. IJ and…

Hair, Braiding, Louisiana

Cosmetology | 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,…

Economic Liberty

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.

Economic Liberty | Vending

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2018, a little over a week after IJ launched a lawsuit, challenging Carolina Beach’s food truck restrictions, the town repealed its food truck restrictions due to the threat of IJ’s lawsuit.

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…

Lactation, Laws, Mothers, Consultants, Babies

Economic Liberty | Health | Occupational Licensing

Georgia 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…

Commercial Speech | Economic Liberty | First Amendment | Food Freedom | Food Freedom

Maryland Dairy Farmers Sue for Right to Tell the Truth

The FDA prevented Randy Sowers from labelling his skim milk as “skim milk” even though that’s exactly what it is. The First Amendment protects Randy’s right to tell the truth about his product, and after…

Economic Liberty | Food Freedom | Wine

Minnesota Farm Wineries Fight for Free Trade

A little-known but onerous state law prevented Minnesota vineyards from making a majority of their wine from grapes grown outside Minnesota. IJ partnered with two vineyards to fight this law, and eventually a federal district…