IJ's Cases

Rule of Law | Unjust Proceedings

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. IJ challenged these fees, but the California Supreme Court unfortunately refused to hear Ron’s appeal.

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 it.

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 launching a second voyage with the IJ to get his job back and ensure that no one else has their livelihood taken away because the government has delegated lawmaking power to a self-interested private organization.

Economic Liberty | Vending

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 from picking winners and losers, which is why food truck operators have partnered with IJ to challenge the regulation.

First Amendment

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 forces with IJ to file a lawsuit challenging the SEC’s nationwide practice of demanding gag orders as a condition of settlement and to seek a court order allowing Cato to tell one man’s story notwithstanding the gag order in place.

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 successfully challenge this unconstitutional law and begin enrolling students.

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 the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, where the law was struck down as unconstitutional.

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 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 ordinance was unconstitutional and the city repealed it.

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 this invasive law to stand.

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 use its zoning code to shut him down, but he has joined with IJ to fight back.

Economic Liberty | Vending

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 Circuit Court judge ruled the ban violated the Wisconsin Constitution.

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.

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.

Educational Choice | Publicly Funded Scholarships

Maine Families Fight for School Choice in U.S. Supreme Court Appeal

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 the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Educational Choice

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 in the case, Washington repealed its “sectarian” exclusion, ending this discriminatory practice.

Economic Liberty | Health

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 thereafter IJ joined up with an ophthalmologist from New Bern, NC, to file a new challenge to North Carolina’s CON law.

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 right to generate and disseminate information to advise their clients.

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 counselors, shutting down her business. Mary and a nonprofit dedicated to providing breastfeeding support to minority communities, teamed up with IJ to fight back against this ridiculous licensure scheme.