Featured Cases
Immunity and Accountability | Private Property
George Retes Federal Officer Accountability
Ventura, California
George Retes, a U.S. citizen and Iraq War veteran, was detained for three days after encountering an ICE roadblock on his way to work.
4th Amendment Project | License Plate Readers | Private Property
San Jose License Plate Readers
San Jose residents file federal class action lawsuit challenging city’s use of nearly 500 license plate read cameras.
Fines and Fees | Private Property
U.S. Department of Labor v. Sun Valley Orchards
In 2016, the Department of Labor demanded $550,000 from a family farm in southern New Jersey. In their case, the agency served as prosecutor, judge, and jury, and the agency won every time. The brothers…
Eminent Domain | Private Property
Leonard Hoffmann v. WBI Energy Transmission
North Dakota ranchers fought a pipeline company with eminent domain power for the fair value of their land. But an appeals court said the company did not have to pay the ranchers’ attorney fees. That…
IJ Protects COnstitutional Rights
The Institute for Justice litigates to protect the constitutional rights of all Americans. IJ defends ordinary people who want to earn an honest living, own and enjoy their property, speak freely, and give their children a good education but find that the government is standing in their way.
We fight to hold government officials accountable when they violate constitutional rights and to prevent governments at all levels from bending the rules to expand their power or advance illegitimate ends.
See IJ’s Supreme Court Cases
Fountain Hills, Ariz. Speech
Arizona wants to bar people from joining together to protest local ballot measures without first registering with the government.
Private Property | Rental Caps
Minnesota Rental Caps
Government officials in Winona, Minn., are imposing a restriction on the number of homeowners who can rent out their properties, harming both homeowners and renters alike. Not only is this policy unwise, it is also…
Mississippi Citizen Speech
Thanks to Mississippi’s burdensome campaign finance laws, groups of concerned citizens need more than just their opinions to speak about politics. They also need a lawyer.
Economic Liberty | Transportation
Lake Chelan Ferries
Jim and Cliff Courtney have a plan to bring economic prosperity to their small community. Unfortunately, the state of Washington has sunk their plan with a law that requires them to obtain a certificate of…
Hialeah Vending
Street vendors are a core part of the American Dream. But Hialeah, Fla., needlessly makes it difficult for street vendors to earn an honest living.
Educational Choice | Publicly Funded Scholarships
Douglas Co., Colorado’s Scholarship Program
In Colorado, Douglas County created an innovative school choice program that offers modest scholarships to hundreds of students at a fraction of the cost of getting a public school education.