IJ's Cases
Featured Cases
Alaska Pilot Asks U.S. Supreme Court to Stop State from Taking His $95,000 Airplane for Passenger’s Beer
The Case April 3rd, 2012, began like any other day for Ken Jouppi, a longtime bush pilot in Alaska. He was scheduled to fly a passenger and her groceries from Fairbanks to the village of Beaver. Hidden in the passenger’s luggage, though, were two cases of Budweiser, along with four additional six-packs. They were intended as a gift to…
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U.S. Supreme Court Cases
IJ has argued 13 cases before the United States Supreme Court, winning 11. These landmark cases have expanded constitutional protections for all Americans.
Immunity and Accountability | Rule of Law
The FBI Raided the Wrong Home—the Government Refuses to Pay for the Damage
FBI agents raided the wrong home in suburban Atlanta. Now the federal government refuses to compensate the victims even though Congress passed a law permitting suits for damages caused by federal employees.
Immunity and Accountability | Rule of Law
Taking on The Shell Games That Allow Federal/State Task Force Members To Violate Your Rights
After misidentifying him as a non-violent fugitive, police brutally beat James King, choked him unconscious, and then prosecuted him to hide their mistake.
Immunity and Accountability | Rule of Law
Federal lawsuit seeks to revive the Fourth Amendment’s requirements for warrants
The Fourth Amendment requires that warrants be supported by “oath or affirmation” but that requirement means almost nothing today because of a decades old Supreme Court decision. Michael Mendenhall’s case could revive the original meaning and protect people from unreasonable searches.
All Cases
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 jail. In 2020, she joined with IJ to sue the city for violating her First Amendment and to hold officials accountable.
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 violates the First Amendment rights of plant-based meat companies.
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 to religious schools. Three Vermont families have partnered with IJ to challenge this unconstitutional provision.
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 to choose a religious school. After a family challenged the law in court, the Legislature eliminated the unconstitutional restriction.
Economic Liberty | Private Property | Small and Home-Based Business | Zoning Justice Project
IJ Takes on the Fight for Owners’ “Right to Rent” in Wilmington, N.C.
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 to rent their own property. Dennis and Peg are standing up for their property rights, with IJ’s help.
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 to defend the program against attacks from its opponents.
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 fighting to get it back, with IJ’s help.
Economic Liberty | First Amendment
Lawsuit Challenges Ca. Funeral Directors’ Monopoly on End-of-Life Care
Akhila Murphy and Donna Peizer are end of life doulas – they offer families assistance during at-home funerals. They don’t direct funerals, but California has argued they are acting as unlicensed funeral directors. With the help of IJ, Akhila and Donna are fighting for their right to help families with emotional and practical support during at-home funerals.
Economic Liberty | Fresh Start | Occupational Licensing
California Firefighter Fresh Start
Dario Gurrola is a part-time firefighter who wants to turn his passion into a full-time job. But California prevents him from getting an EMT license because of a prior criminal conviction for which he’s already paid his debt to society. Dario and another firefighter named Fernando have joined with IJ to fight for their right to earn an honest living.
Rule of Law | Unjust Proceedings
Memphis Residents File Lawsuit Against Shelby County Environmental Court for Affording No Real Due Process
When a court proceeding may result in a person losing their home, the U.S. Constitution demands a fair process with rigorous safeguards against erroneous deprivation. But the process is Shelby County, Tennessee, is anything but fair. IJ has partnered with two victims of the court to ensure the court comes into compliance with the Constitution’s Due Process Clause.
Economic Liberty | Health
Montana Bans Doctors from Offering Medications to Their Patients Just to Protect Pharmacies from Competition
The vast majority of states allow patients to purchase medications directly from their prescribing doctor. For years, this practice was banned in Montana, until IJ stepped in to challenge the law and lawmakers immediately moved to end the ban.
Commercial Speech | First Amendment
An Arizona county uses its zoning code to suspend constitutional rights
Yavapai County’s zoning system almost crippled Joshua’s and Emily’s wedding retreat business that they were running on their property. The pandemic made it impossible to pursue their legal claims, and so we voluntarily dismissed their challenge. Undeterred, they intend to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams when life returns to normal.
Economic Liberty | Food Freedom
Lincoln Home Baker Challenges City’s Unnecessary Regulations
Lincoln, Nebraska imposed restrictions on home bakers that the state itself decided to get rid of. One home baker named Cindy Baker teamed up with IJ to successfully challenge Lincoln’s foolish restriction.
Rule of Law | Unjust Proceedings
New Orleans Ankle Monitors
Judges must be impartial when deciding to deprive a person of his or her property. Unfortunately, one judge in New Orleans has been ordering individuals to wear an ankle monitor from a company in which he has a personal financial stake. Two of those individuals have joined with IJ to challenge this corrupt system.
Economic Liberty | Occupational Licensing
Utah Private Investigators
Jeremy Barnes is a former police officer who runs his own private investigator company in Idaho, near the Utah border. Utah has prevented Jeremy from earning an honest living because he lives three minutes across the border. The Constitution is clear that states cannot discriminate against residents of other states.
Economic Liberty
Nebraska law requires business owner to get his competitors’ permission in order to transport patients
Marc is allowed to drive customers to the grocery store, but if he wants to drive them to the pharmacy or a routine doctor’s appointment, he needs permission from his competitors. This nonsensical rule hurts both Marc and his patients, but he’s fighting back, with IJ’s help.
Economic Liberty | Health
North Carolina Ophthalmologist Challenges Outdated Certificate of Need (“CON”) Law
The government should never prevent doctors from safely providing affordable health care services their patients need. But that’s exactly what North Carolina, along with 34 other states, do every day. Dr. Jay Singleton is working with IJ to challenge North Carolina’s foolish certificate of need law.
Economic Liberty | Food Freedom | Private Solutions to Public Problems
Neighbors Challenge County’s Burdensome Regulations on Little Free Pantries
Thanks to a lawsuit she filed with IJ, Kathy Hay can now share food with her neighbors in Asotin County, Washington, using a “little free pantry” in her backyard. Before the lawsuit, Kathy wasn’t allowed to use the little blue cupboard in her backyard to help feed members of her impoverished community without obtaining government approval and following a list of unnecessary demands from the county health department.
4th Amendment Project | Open Fields Doctrine | Other Property Rights Abuses | Private Property
Landowners sue to stop warrantless searches
Tennessee Wildlife officials were caught putting cameras on Terry Rainwaters’ property, ignoring his “No Trespassing” signs. Terry and another rural Tennessee property owner are joining forces with IJ to fight back against the “open fields doctrine” that permits this action in violation of the Fourth Amendment.
Economic Liberty | Food Freedom
North Dakota Food Freedom
Five North Dakotans teamed up with IJ to sue the Department of Health for illegally passing regulations on selling homemade baked goods. Now, North Dakota is again one of the best states in the country for food freedom.
