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.
IJ wins three out of four cases through outright courtroom victories or legislative change prompted by our lawsuits.
Featured Cases

Commercial Speech | First Amendment | Food Freedom
Lawsuit seeks to strike down regulations that prevent businesses from truthfully labeling products
Las Vegas, Nevada
The First Amendment does not allow the government to decide which facts consumers are allowed to know. Yet the federal government is preventing tens of millions of Americans with sensitive stomachs from receiving the information…

Private Property
Devillier Cert Petition
“If you break it, you buy it” is a simple rule that anyone who has shopped at a Pottery Barn probably already knows. It means that if you cause damage to someone else’s property, you…

First Amendment
Detroit Retaliation
Four years ago, Robert Reeves’ car was seized by police in Detroit using civil forfeiture. Although he was never charged with a crime, police attempted to use civil forfeiture to seize and keep Robert’s 1991…

Civil Forfeiture | Private Property
Class Action Challenges FBI’s “Take Now, Explain Never” Forfeitures
Linda Martin’s home savings were seized by the FBI. She received a confusing forfeiture notice that didn’t clearly say what she did wrong for the government to want to take her money.
Cosmetology | Economic Liberty | Hair Braiding | Occupational Licensing
Challenging Barriers To Economic Opportunity: Hosey v. Ohio State Board of Cosmetology
Educational Choice
The Case for School Choice: Raymond, Maine

Economic Liberty | Occupational Licensing
Challenging Barriers to Economic Opportunity: Hector Ricketts v. City of New York
Cosmetology | Economic Liberty | Hair Braiding | Occupational Licensing
Challenging Barriers to Economic Opportunity

Eminent Domain | Private Property
Public Power, Private Gain: The Abuse of Eminent Domain
Educational Choice
Vermont's School Choice Program: Neutral to Religion

Educational Choice | Publicly Funded Scholarships
Cleveland, Ohio, School Choice (State Case)
Private Property | Rental Inspections
Searching Without Consent: Government's Assault on the Sanctity of the Home
Educational Choice