IJ's Cases
Economic Liberty | Occupational Licensing
North Dakota Teacher Licensing
When Capstone Classical Academy opened in Fargo, North Dakota, in 2022, its goal was simple: hire the best teachers possible. At first, the school focused on finding talented educators committed to the school’s mission and…
Private Property | Zoning Justice Project
North Port Restrictive Zoning
Art Yatsko is like a lot of Americans in their 60s. After decades of hard work and saving, he wants to slow down—to retire somewhere quiet, peaceful, and warm. He thought North Port, Florida, was…
Economic Liberty | Occupational Licensing | Other Property Rights Abuses | Private Property
Pennsylvania Real Estate Office Requirement
Pennsylvania real estate broker Kevin Gaughen has filed a lawsuit alongside the Institute for Justice challenging a law requiring brokers in Pennsylvania to have brick-and-mortar offices.
Fines and Fees | Private Property
United States v. Saydam
Eighty-eight-year-old retiree Tuncay Saydam is at risk of losing his life’s savings. Not because of a bad investment or a fraudulent scheme. Rather, the federal government is trying to fine Tuncay over $437,000—because he unintentionally…
Commercial Speech | Economic Liberty | First Amendment | Sign Codes
Nebraska Barber Shop Free Speech
Institute for Justice joins lawsuit defending family bar threatened with fines and even jail time for using “barber shop” theme to honor owners’ late father When Mike DiGiacomo and his siblings wanted to remodel…
Commercial Speech | First Amendment
Wisconsin Animal Care
Jim Masterson has been working with animals for almost 30 years. But Wisconsin said he can’t teach without subjecting Jim’s school to an all-encompassing review of everything from Jim’s curriculum to intrusive inquiries into his…
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.
4th Amendment Project | Immunity and Accountability | Private Property
Georgia Botched Raid
More than a dozen heavily armed law enforcement officers stormed Cathy George's apartment, looking for a fugitive who had no connection to Cathy and who was already in custody.
Fines and Fees | Private Property
Triple R Administrative Appeal
David and Debbie Ross of Triple R Farms are fighting for their constitutional right to a real court and jury trial.
First Amendment | First Amendment Retaliation
Apache County, AZ Retaliation
Fernie Madrid ran for school superintendent in Apache, but he was running against the wife of the County Attorney, Michael Whiting. Whiting used his employees to retaliate against Fernie and bully him out of the…
Commercial Speech | Economic Liberty | First Amendment | Occupational Licensing
Oklahoma Caskets II
Small business challenges Oklahoma's unconstitutional restrictions on casket sales…
4th Amendment Project | Immunity and Accountability | Private Property
Maine Mistaken Identity
Parents sue after a SWAT team detained their innocent 16-year-old son at gunpoint as he walked to lunch.
Private Property | Private Solutions to Public Problems | Zoning Justice Project
Wenatchee Soup Kitchen
Lighthouse Christian Ministries is suing after Wenatchee officials revoked the soup kitchen's permit without warning, shutting down a vital resource that served 75-100 people daily.
Immunity and Accountability | Private Property
McKinnon v. Hernandez
A Dallas bar owner asks the Supreme Court to deny immunity to the police detective who led a bogus investigation against him.
Miami Permit Takings
A Miami homeowner and Navy veteran is challenging the city's practice of demanding that permit applicants surrender portions of their property without just compensation.
Private Property | Rental Caps
NYC Vacant Apartments
Small property owners challenge New York's rent stabilization laws on vacant apartments, which keep tens of thousands of units empty amid a housing crisis.
Economic Liberty | Private Property | Small and Home-Based Business | Zoning Justice Project
Columbia, South Carolina Home Swim Lessons
Libby Souder legally taught swim lessons in her backyard for years, then Columbia, S.C. changed its tune and banned her business.
Immunity and Accountability | Private Property
George Retes Federal Officer Accountability
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 | Immunity and Accountability | Private Property
Alabama Construction Site Raids
A U.S. citizen, who was wrongly detained twice, is suing to stop unconstitutional raids on private construction sites.
Economic Liberty | Food Freedom | Private Property | Zoning Justice Project
Maine Backyard Chickens
A family is using Maine's first-in-the-nation Right to Food amendment to challenge a small town ordinance effectively bans backyard chickens.
Economic Liberty | Food Freedom
Texas Cultivated Meat
Wildtype and UPSIDE Foods challenge Texas's ban on cultivated meat. Texas’ ban is about one thing: protecting in-state agricultural interest from innovative, out-of-state competition.
Fines and Fees | Private Property
Jouppi v. Alaska
April 3, 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 110 miles north to the village…
Economic Liberty | Private Property | Small and Home-Based Business | Zoning Justice Project
Pennsylvania Home Auto Shop
A Pennsylvania man who has operated an auto repair business on his 16-acre property for 24 years faces shutdown from the township zoning board.
Code Enforcement | Fines and Fees | Private Property | Private Solutions to Public Problems | Zoning Justice Project
Albuquerque Homelessness
Gil Kerley, owner of Quirky Used Books & More in Albuquerque, New Mexico, sought to address the city’s worsening homelessness crisis by providing a safe and private space for homeless people to sleep on his…
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…
Economic Liberty | Private Property | Zoning Justice Project
Clayton County, Georgia Protectionist Zoning
In Clayton County, Georgia, government officials blocked Khalilah Few from opening her natural hair salon—simply because they didn't think it’s the “right fit” for the neighborhood.
Housing Abundance and Affordability | Private Property | Private Solutions to Public Problems | Zoning Justice Project
Minnesota ADU
A couple sought to build an accessory dwelling unit to rent at below-market rates to a family in need, but Blaine, Minnesota, unlawfully denied their permit.
Wyoming School Choice
Wyoming families intervene to defend education savings accounts for parents who choose alternatives to public school.
Eminent Domain | Private Property
James Island Eminent Domain
Imagine a developer who thoughtfully deliberates about what type of business would be best suited for an area. He meets with residents to address their concerns. He painstakingly implements every suggestion, even if he doesn’t…
Eminent Domain | Private Property
Perth Amboy, NJ Blight
Honey Meerzon and Luis Romero came from different backgrounds but have many things in common. Their parents both fled oppressive government regimes in search of a better life for their children. They have both worked…