IJ's Cases
Civil Forfeiture | Private Property
Indiana Forfeiture Defense Appeal
The state of Indiana is attempting to make Terry Abbott win back his seized money in court without a lawyer. However, IJ has stepped in to defend Terry on appeal and is urging the court…
Economic Liberty | First Amendment | Occupational Licensing | Occupational Speech
North Carolina Board Tells Retired Engineer He Can’t Talk About Engineering
Wayne Nutt is a retired engineer who still talks about engineering and wanted to testify as an expert witness in a case that involved engineering issues. The state of North Carolina argued Wayne’s testimony was…
Educational Choice
Kentucky Families Fight to Defend the State’s Bold New School Choice Program
In March 2021, Kentucky created a school choice program that benefits thousands of low-and-middle-income families throughout the state. Just a few months later, a lawsuit attacked the program. IJ has intervened on behalf of two…
4th Amendment Project | Civil Forfeiture | Private Property
Security Deposit Box Owners Demand FBI Return Property Seized Without a Warrant
FBI agents broke into hundreds of private security deposit box without warrants. Holding government officials accountable for violating Fourth Amendment rights is crucial to ensure similar abuses don’t occur in the future.
4th Amendment Project | Rental Inspections
Orange City, Iowa, Rental Inspections
Landlords and tenants in Orange City, Iowa are forced to open their doors to government officials without a warrant, simply because the property is a rental. This intrusive rule violates the Fourth Amendment, and that’s…
Economic Liberty | Vending
Food-Truck Owners Battle City’s Anti-Competitive Ordinance
Tarpon Springs, Florida bans food trucks from operating in the downtown area, unless the owner also has a brick-and-mortar restaurant. The owners of one food truck are working with IJ to fight for their right…
Economic Liberty | Eminent Domain | Private Property
Family-Owned Hardware Store Sues Long Island Town Trying to Take Away their Property
The Brinkmann family owns hardware stores in Long Island and purchased property with the hope of opening a new store. The town now wants to take the land through eminent domain, simply because they don’t…
Civil Forfeiture | Private Property
Trucking Company Owner Living in Charlotte Fights for $39,500 Police Took from Him at Phoenix Airport
Jerry Johnson owns a small trucking business. He traveled with cash to buy a new truck for his business when a detective approached him and took his money. He was left without his money or…
Economic Liberty | First Amendment | Occupational Licensing | Occupational Speech
Virginia therapist launches a second First Amendment challenge to protect the right to practice talk therapy online across state lines
Elizabeth Brokamp uses talk therapy to help people improve their lives. When one of her clients relocated to New York she was able to continue speaking with the client online. She’s licensed in Virginia, where…
Economic Liberty | First Amendment | Occupational Licensing
North Carolina’s Surveying Board Grounds Small-Business Drone Operators
Michael Jones uses his drone to take photos for clients, but North Carolina argues that in doing so he’s practicing “land surveying” and needs a license. However, that’s not at all what he’s doing and…
Private Property
Pasco County Residents Challenge Sheriff’s Harassment Based on Potential “Future Crimes”
In true dystopian fashion, Pasco County in Florida, harasses people at their own homes through a method called “predictive policing.” The system tramples on the rights of Pasco residents by placing them under near-constant surveillance.
Economic Liberty | Transportation
Jordanian Immigrant Fights Back Against Colorado’s Transportation Monopolies
Abdallah Batayneh opened a shuttle company in Colorado with the goal of providing more affordable rides. But entrenched businesses got the government to use a “certificate of need” law to ban him from opening. Abdallah…
Immunity and Accountability
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…
Code Enforcement | Fines and Fees | Private Property
Homeowner Facing $100,000 Parking Violation Sues Florida Town for “Excessive Fines”
Sandy Martinez received more than $100,000 in fines for how she parked on her own driveway. This excessive fine not only threatens to financially cripple Sandy, it’s also unconstitutional and is the reason she has…
Economic Liberty
Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services of Nevada, Inc. v. Chandra
In an appeal filed in February 2021, the Institute for Justice is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to examine the question of whether federal judges have unfettered discretion to unilaterally inject their own arguments or…
Other Property Rights Abuses | Private Property | Right to Shelter
Sierra Vista Residents Sue City to Keep Their Homes in Place
Under the guise of “zoning,” the city of Sierra VIsta, Arizona is threatening to kick residents out of their homes in the middle of a pandemic. With IJ’s help, these residents are fighting back to…
Economic Liberty | Food Freedom
Wisconsin Cottage Foods II
Wisconsin bans the sale of many homemade foods, including common and shelf-stable foods like candies, chocolates, granola and roasted coffee beans. Seven Wisconsinites have joined with IJ to challenge the state’s arbitrary law.
Cosmetology | Economic Liberty | Occupational Licensing
Oklahoma Eyebrow Threaders File Lawsuit Against Irrational Licensing Requirement
Oklahoma requires eyebrow threaders to spend 600 hours learning skills that have nothing to do with eyebrow threading. This useless regulation prevents people from earning an honest living, which is why two eyebrow threaders have…
Immunity and Accountability
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…
Economic Liberty | First Amendment | Occupational Licensing | Occupational Speech
First Amendment lawsuit seeks to protect the right to practice talk therapy across state lines
Elizabeth Brokamp uses talk therapy to help people improve their lives. She’s licensed in Virginia, where she lives, near the border with D.C. But D.C. will not let her see clients online who she could…
Fines and Fees | Private Property
New York Permit Fines
Joe Corsini keeps a pigeon coop on the roof of his home, like many other New Yorkers. The city’s Department of Buildings saddled him with thousands of dollars in fines for not having a license…
First Amendment | First Amendment Retaliation | Private Property
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…
Other Property Rights Abuses | Private Property | Right to Shelter
North Carolina Shelter Sues for Right to Offer Private Charity on Private Property
The town of North Wilkesboro, North Carolina attempted to block the only homeless shelter in the county from opening its doors at a new location, relying on bogus claims that the shelter would be “unharmonious”…
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…
Commercial Speech | First Amendment | Food Freedom
Oklahoma requires vegan products to rewrite their labels to the meat lobby’s satisfaction
Oklahoma requires plant-based meat products to include a massive disclaimer on their label, similar to that seen on tobacco products. IJ is challenging this foolish regulation that does nothing to promote public safety and also…
Educational Choice
Vermont Parents Sue State Over Unconstitutional School Choice Policy
Vermont has one of the most robust school choice programs in the country, but there is one massive exception. The state does not provide the tuition benefit for parents who want to send their children…
Educational Choice | Publicly Funded Scholarships
Grandparents Sue Granite State Over Unconstitutional Restriction on School Choice Program
The town of Croydon, New Hampshire does not operate a middle school and instead pays students’ tuition at nearby public or private schools. But a New Hampshire law prevented Croydon families from spending the money…
Economic Liberty | Other Property Rights Abuses | Private Property
North Carolina Amortization
Dennis and Peg Schroeder have invested substantial money in their home and chose to rent it out as part of their retirement plan. The city of Wilmington is trying to deprive them of their right…
Educational Choice
North Carolina Parents Join Forces To Defend The State’s Opportunity Scholarship Program (“OSP”) From Yet Another Legal Attack
North Carolina’s Opportunity Scholarship Program is the most popular school choice program in the state and offers a quality education for more than 12,000 students. Now, a coalition of parents has joined forces with IJ…
Civil Forfeiture | Private Property
Case asks court to end “policing for profit” and restore South Carolinians’ expectation that they are innocent until proven guilty
South Carolina’s civil forfeiture laws violate the rights of all South Carolinians to be free from excessive fines and fees. Caught up in this was Travis Green who had his money seized. Now, he is…