Supreme Court Cases

The Institute for Justice has won seven U.S. Supreme Court cases.

Collectively, these cases span all our litigation areas. Our victories have vindicated the right to earn an honest living, expanded educational opportunity for millions of children, defended free speech, and strengthened the Constitution’s protection of Americans’ property.

The Court decided our most recent case, Brownback v. King, on February 25, 2021. Although the Court issued a technical win for the police officers who assaulted our client, James King, it refused to create a new loophole for federal officials to escape accountability when they violate someone’s constitutional rights. The case now returns to the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, where IJ will continue fighting for justice for James.

IJ’s only other Supreme Court loss was Kelo v. New London, where the Court ruled the government could use eminent domain to take property for private development. It was one of the most controversial decisions of the decade, and IJ harnessed the resulting backlash to win in the court of public opinion, leading to reforms and court decisions in 47 states that better protect property rights.

You can learn more about each of IJ’s Supreme Court cases below.