Cases - Institute for Justice

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.

IJ clients like **Elijah** and **Ashley Durham** stand for their rights and the rights of others.

Featured Cases

Eminent Domain | Private Property

Bowers v. Oneida County Industrial Development Agency

Utica, New York

Can the government take your property just to hand it over to your business competitor? That is the question New York developer Bryan Bowers is asking the United States Supreme Court after New York’s courts said it was perfectly fine for a county redevelopment agency to condemn his property and give it to a rival developer to use as a…

Educational Choice | Publicly Funded Scholarships

South Carolina ESAs

In 2023, South Carolina created the Education Scholarship Trust Fund (“ESTF”) program. This student aid program grants thousands of qualifying, low-income families a $6,000 scholarship that parents can use for educational expenses for their children—things…

First Amendment | First Amendment Retaliation | Immunity and Accountability

Atmore, Alabama Retaliation

Four residents of a small Alabama county were targeted for retaliation by a district attorney and sheriff. Now, they are suing with IJ to protect their constitutional rights.