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
Other Property Rights Abuses | Private Property
Auto Shop Fights City to Save U-Haul Business
Mauldin, South Carolina
A South Carolina town changed its zoning regulations and ordered a small automotive business to stop renting U-Hauls. The owners are now fighting back.
Cosmetology | Economic Liberty
Licensed Eyelash Extension Specialist Sues for Right to Do Job
Brandy Davis is a licensed eyelash extension specialist who is being blocked from doing her job by the Oklahoma Board of Cosmetology and Licensing. She’s suing in state court to challenge the board’s licensing requirements.
Fines and Fees | Private Property
Homeowner Fights Back Against NYC’s “Unreviewable” Fines System
Serafim Katergaris was forced to pay $1,000 to the New York Department of Buildings (DOB) for a code violation he did not commit, did not know about and had no chance to challenge. Now, he’s…
Fines and Fees | Private Property
Federal Government Seeks to Impose Multimillion Dollar Excessive Fine on Grandmother, Claiming a Fine is a “Civil Penalty.”
An Boston-area grandmother is fighting to have courts consider whether the multimillion-dollar penalty the government imposed on is unconstitutionally excessive.
Economic Liberty | Other Property Rights Abuses | Private Property
North Carolina Amortization
Dennis and Peg Schroeder have invested substantial money in their home and chose to rent it out as part of their retirement plan. The city of Wilmington is trying to deprive them of their right…
Educational Choice
North Carolina Parents Join Forces To Defend The State’s Opportunity Scholarship Program (“OSP”) From Yet Another Legal Attack
North Carolina’s Opportunity Scholarship Program is the most popular school choice program in the state and offers a quality education for more than 12,000 students. Now, a coalition of parents has joined forces with IJ…
Civil Forfeiture | Private Property
Case asks court to end “policing for profit” and restore South Carolinians’ expectation that they are innocent until proven guilty
South Carolina’s civil forfeiture laws violate the rights of all South Carolinians to be free from excessive fines and fees. Caught up in this was Travis Green who had his money seized. Now, he is…
Economic Liberty | First Amendment
State Funeral Bureau opposes resurgence of a meaningful American tradition
Akhila Murphy and Donna Peizer are end of life doulas – they offer families assistance during at-home funerals. They don’t direct funerals, but California has argued they are acting as unlicensed funeral directors. With the…
Economic Liberty | Fresh Start | Occupational Licensing
California Firefighter Fresh Start
Dario Gurrola is a part-time firefighter who wants to turn his passion into a full-time job. But California prevents him from getting an EMT license because of a prior criminal conviction for which he’s already…
Fines and Fees | Private Property
Memphis Environmental Court
When a court proceeding may result in a person losing their home, the U.S. Constitution demands a fair process with rigorous safeguards against erroneous deprivation. But the process is Shelby County, Tennessee, is anything but…
Economic Liberty | Health
Montana Bans Doctors from Offering Medications to Their Patients Just to Protect Pharmacies from Competition
The vast majority of states allow patients to purchase medications directly from their prescribing doctor. For years, this practice was banned in Montana, until IJ stepped in to challenge the law and lawmakers immediately moved…
Commercial Speech | First Amendment
An Arizona county uses its zoning code to suspend constitutional rights
Yavapai County’s zoning system almost crippled Joshua’s and Emily’s wedding retreat business that they were running on their property. The pandemic made it impossible to pursue their legal claims, and so we voluntarily dismissed their…
Economic Liberty | Food Freedom
Lincoln Home Baker Challenges City’s Unnecessary Regulations
Lincoln, Nebraska imposed restrictions on home bakers that the state itself decided to get rid of. One home baker named Cindy Baker teamed up with IJ to successfully challenge Lincoln’s foolish restriction.
Fines and Fees | Private Property
New Orleans Ankle Monitors
Judges must be impartial when deciding to deprive a person of his or her property. Unfortunately, one judge in New Orleans has been ordering individuals to wear an ankle monitor from a company in which…
Economic Liberty | Occupational Licensing
Utah Private Investigators
Jeremy Barnes is a former police officer who runs his own private investigator company in Idaho, near the Utah border. Utah has prevented Jeremy from earning an honest living because he lives three minutes across…
Economic Liberty
Nebraska law requires business owner to get his competitors’ permission in order to transport patients
Marc is allowed to drive customers to the grocery store, but if he wants to drive them to the pharmacy or a routine doctor’s appointment, he needs permission from his competitors. This nonsensical rule hurts…