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
Commercial Speech | First Amendment | Sign Codes
Mario, the Classic Video Game Character, Fights City Hall
The town of Orange Park, Florida banned Scott Fisher from putting an inflatable blow-up of the video game character Mario in front of his video game store. IJ and Scott challenged the town’s law that discriminated against commercial speech, and in January 2018, the town amended the sign code, allowing Mario to stay.
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 court ruled that cap violated the Constitution, and vineyards were freed from this prohibition.
4th Amendment Project | Private Property | Rental Inspections
Pennsylvania Tenants and Landlord Challenge Unconstitutional Inspections of Homes
Pottstown, Pennsylvania has a rental inspection law that forces landlords and tenants to open their properties and homes to submit to intrusive inspections. On behalf of multiple tenants and a landlord, IJ is challenging this intrusive law that violates the Fourth Amendment.
Code Enforcement | Fines and Fees | Private Property
Eminent Domain in Disguise: Putting an End to Charlestown, Ind.’s Unconstitutional Home Inspection Scheme
A small-town mayor in rural Indiana has made it his personal mission to oust the residents of a tight-knit working-class neighborhood, bulldoze their homes and build a fancy new subdivision for much wealthier people. The only things standing in his way are a plethora of state statutes, the Indiana and U.S. constitutions and IJ, which has filed a lawsuit against the city on behalf of dozens of property owners.
Civil Forfeiture | Private Property
San Diego District Attorney Seizes Every Penny from a Local Family Without Charging Anyone with a Crime
Economic Liberty | Health | Occupational Licensing
South Carolina Clamps Down On Online Medicine to Protect Profits of Established Businesses
Rule of Law | Unjust Proceedings
Waive Your Rights or Else: Challenging NYPD’s Use of “No-Fault” Eviction to Compel Innocent Residents and Businesses to Give Up Constitutional Rights
Civil Forfeiture | Private Property
Innocent Couple Challenges Arizona’s Rigged Civil Forfeiture System
Eminent Domain | Private Property
Stopping Kelo From Happening Again
Civil Forfeiture | Private Property
Enforcing Landmark Civil Forfeiture Reforms To Shut Down An Unconstitutional Forfeiture Machine
First Amendment
Alabama prohibits nonprofit worker from speaking and petitioning the government unless she first flies to Alabama to take a government-mandated ethics class
First Amendment | Political Speech
Recent Court of Appeals Ruling Disarms Political Speakers, Empowers Campaign Finance Bullies
Eminent Domain | Private Property
Georgia Land Grab: City Seeks to Bulldoze Family-owned Small Business
Cosmetology | Economic Liberty | Occupational Licensing
Hanging by a Thread: Louisiana Eyebrow Threaders Fight for the Right to Earn an Honest Living
Lata Jagtiani, Ushaben Chudasama and Panna Shah have partnered with the Institute for Justice to fight for her right to earn an honest living threading eyebrows in Louisiana.
Private Property | Small and Home-Based Business | Zoning Justice Project
Land Grab in Dallas
Civil Forfeiture | Private Property
IRS Seizes First, Questions Later— Much Later
Economic Liberty | Vending
Food Truck Entrepreneurs Sue City Over Vending Law
Civil Forfeiture | Private Property
Highway Robbery in Muskogee
Educational Choice | Publicly Funded Scholarships
Parents Sue over Limiting Families’ Options under New School Choice Program
Economic Liberty | Occupational Licensing