IJ Updates: Spring 2026

Historic Trip To The Arizona Supreme Court 

In March, IJ argued at the Arizona Supreme Court that engineer Greg Mills has a right to call himself what he is. Greg has 30 years of experience in engineering, but under the state’s regulatory scheme, he can’t call himself an engineer unless he works for a manufacturer. But the Arizona Constitution protects free speech and economic liberty even more vigorously than the federal Constitution does―and the court seemed receptive to that argument. One judge even noted that previous iterations of the court had strayed from the state’s history, signaling interest in reinvigorating Arizona’s strong constitutional protections. We are optimistic for a favorable decision vindicating Greg and setting important precedent for all Arizonans.

A Final Victory For Nashville Home-Based Businesses

IJ’s appellate victory last August held a Nashville regulation limiting how many customers certain types of home-based businesses could serve violated entrepreneurs’ right to equal protection. Following the city’s choice not to appeal the decision, a lower court issued a final ruling in March that struck down the restriction once and for all. Now all home-based businesses in the city are subject to the same standards. That means hairstylist Pat Raynor and recording studio owner Lij Shaw can go back to serving their clients without the cost and inconvenience of renting commercial space—and without fear of harsh penalties.

Pottstown, Pennsylvania, Attempts To Undermine Property Rights Victory

In a recent IJ victory, an appellate court affirmed a ruling that declared unconstitutional a local ordinance that allowed government officials to enter rental homes without a judicial warrant. While we wait to see if the Pennsylvania Supreme Court will review the case, Pottstown unveiled a proposed amendment to the ordinance that would force landlords whose tenants refuse consent to a home inspection to retain a third-party inspector to conduct the inspection on the government’s behalf. IJ sent a letter urging borough officials to abandon this blatant attempt to circumvent the courts’ decisions.

New Amicus Brief Against SEC Gag Orders

The First Amendment establishes that no law can inhibit the right to free speech. But apparently the SEC didn’t get the memo. Since 1972, the agency has refused to settle any civil enforcement action unless the defendant agrees not to publicly deny the allegations. IJ’s 2019 attempt to challenge the policy on behalf of the Cato Institute was unfortunately dismissed, so we jumped at the recent opportunity to submit an amicus brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to take up a similar case and ensure federal agencies can’t ignore the First Amendment.