Institute for Justice

Gray v. Maine Dept. of Public Safety

Filter by Case Status

Lawsuit

Joshua Gray criticized the police—so they denied him an occupational license Gray v. Maine Dept. of Public Safety

Filed: 1630627200September 3, 2021

Location: Maine

Status: Pending

Economic Liberty First Amendment Occupational Licensing Occupational Speech
Lawsuit

North Carolina Board Tells Retired Engineer He Can’t Talk About Engineering North Carolina Engineering Speech

Filed: 1623283200June 10, 2021

Location: Wilmington, North Carolina

Status: Pending

Economic Liberty First Amendment Occupational Licensing Occupational Speech
Lawsuit

Virginia therapist launches a second First Amendment challenge to protect the right to practice talk therapy online across state lines New York Teletherapy

Filed: 1617667200April 6, 2021

Location: Albany, New York

Status: Pending

Economic Liberty First Amendment Occupational Licensing Occupational Speech
Lawsuit

North Carolina’s Surveying Board Grounds Small-Business Drone Operators North Carolina Drones

Filed: 1616371200March 22, 2021

Location: Raleigh, North Carolina

Status: Pending

Economic Liberty First Amendment Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Oklahoma Threading

Filed: 1612396800February 4, 2021

Location: Oklahoma County, Oklahoma

Status: Pending

Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

First Amendment lawsuit seeks to protect the right to practice talk therapy across state lines D.C. Teletherapy

Filed: 1607472000December 9, 2020

Location: Washington, D.C.

Status: Pending

Economic Liberty First Amendment Occupational Licensing Occupational Speech
Lawsuit

California Firefighter Fresh Start

Filed: 1592524800June 19, 2020

Location: Sacramento, California

Status: Pending

Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Utah Private Investigators

Filed: 1588118400April 29, 2020

Location: Salt Lake City, Utah

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Lawsuit Challenges Arizona Engineering Licensing Law Arizona Engineering Licensing

Filed: 1575504000December 5, 2019

Location: Chandler, AZ

Status: Pending

Economic Liberty First Amendment Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Louisiana Hair Braiders Fight For Right To Earn An Honest Living Louisiana Hair Braiding

Filed: 1560988800June 20, 2019

Location: Baton Rouge

Status: Pending

Economic Liberty Hair Braiding Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Law Denies Women Right to Work Because of Irrelevant Criminal Convictions Pennsylvania Fresh Start

Filed: 1544486400December 11, 2018

Location: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Status: Closed

Cosmetology Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Texas Veterinarian Renews Fight to Give Professional Advice Online Texas Veterinary Speech II

Filed: 1538438400October 2, 2018

Location: Brownsville, TX

Status: Pending

Economic Liberty First Amendment Health Occupational Licensing Occupational Speech
Lawsuit

Mississippi Regulatory Board Sues Tech Entrepreneurs to Prevent Competition Mississippi Mapping

Filed: 1531180800July 10, 2018

Location: Canton, MS

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty First Amendment Occupational Licensing Occupational Speech
Lawsuit

Georgia Lactation Consultants

Filed: 1529884800June 25, 2018

Location: Atlanta, GA

Status: Pending

Economic Liberty Health Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

D.C. Parents and Day Care Providers Sue to Stop Rule Requiring Providers to Earn College Degree to Watch Kids Washington, D.C. Day Care Education

Filed: 1524700800April 26, 2018

Location: Washington, D.C.

Status: Pending

Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Florida Health Coach Threatened with Jail and Big Fines for Merely Offering Dietary Advice Florida Diet Coaching

Filed: 1506988800October 3, 2017

Location: Pensacola, FL

Status: Pending

Economic Liberty First Amendment Occupational Licensing Occupational Speech
Lawsuit

License to Teach: North Carolina Forces Makeup Artists to Teach Unrelated Skills or Face Thousands in Fines North Carolina Makeup Schools

Filed: 1503446400August 23, 2017

Location: Charlotte, NC

Status: Closed

Cosmetology Economic Liberty First Amendment Occupational Licensing Occupational Speech
Lawsuit

Vacation Property Manager Challenges Pennsylvania Real Estate Cartel Pennsylvania Property Management

Filed: 1500336000July 18, 2017

Location: Harrisburg, PA

Status: Pending

Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Illegal Math? A state board in Oregon is punishing people for talking about traffic lights and any other “engineering” topics Oregon Engineering Speech

Filed: 1493078400April 25, 2017

Location: Beaverton, OR

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty First Amendment Occupational Licensing Occupational Speech
Lawsuit

South Carolina Clamps Down On Online Medicine to Protect Profits of Established Businesses South Carolina Eyeglasses

Filed: 1476921600October 20, 2016

Location: Columbia, SC

Status: Pending

Economic Liberty Health Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Hanging by a Thread: Louisiana Eyebrow Threaders Fight for the Right to Earn an Honest Living Louisiana Threading

Filed: 1470096000August 2, 2016

Location: New Orleans, LA

Status: Closed

Cosmetology Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Burying Alabama’s Casket-Sales Cartel Alabama Caskets

Filed: 1459814400April 5, 2016

Location: Huntsville, Alabama

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

City Established a Monopoly for the Only Taxi Business in Town, Preventing Competition and Prohibiting Consumer Choice Little Rock Taxis

Filed: 1456876800March 2, 2016

Location: Little Rock, Arkansas

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing Transportation
Lawsuit

Charleston Tour Guides Challenge Unconstitutional License to Talk Charleston Tour Guides

Filed: 1453939200January 28, 2016

Location: Charleston, South Carolina

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty First Amendment Occupational Licensing Occupational Speech Tour Guides
Lawsuit

Breaking Down Government Barriers to African-Style Hair Braiding in Iowa Iowa Hair Braiding

Filed: 1445990400October 28, 2015

Location: Des Monies, IA

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty Hair Braiding Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Archdiocese of Newark Seeks to Bury New Jersey’s Anticompetitive Headstone Law New Jersey Headstones

Filed: 1437436800July 21, 2015

Location: New Jersey

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Green Cab’s Story: Twenty-First Century Innovation Shut Out by Twentieth-Century Regulation Bowling Green Taxis

Filed: 1433289600June 3, 2015

Location: Bowling Green, OH

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing Transportation
Lawsuit

Consumers Aren’t Property, and Competition Isn’t Theft San Diego Taxis

Filed: 1429056000April 15, 2015

Location: San Diego, CA

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing Transportation
Lawsuit

Government Cannot Decide Who Is, Or Is Not, Allowed To Tell A Story Savannah Tour Guides

Filed: 1416182400November 17, 2014

Location: Savannah, GA

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty First Amendment Occupational Licensing Occupational Speech Tour Guides
Lawsuit

Cabbies Fight for Freedom: Victorious Cab Drivers Head Back to Court for Second Showdown with Milwaukee’s Taxi Cartel Milwaukee Taxis 2

Filed: 1408924800August 25, 2014

Location: Milwaukee

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing Transportation
Lawsuit

Untangling Entrepreneurs from Washington’s Illogical Restrictions on African Hair Braiding Washington Hair Braiding 2

Filed: 1402963200June 17, 2014

Location: Washington

Status: Closed

Cosmetology Economic Liberty Hair Braiding Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Untangling Entrepreneurs from Arkansas' African Braiding Laws Arkansas Hair Braiding

Filed: 1402963200June 17, 2014

Location: Arkansas

Status: Closed

Cosmetology Economic Liberty Hair Braiding Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Untangling Entrepreneurs from Missouri’s Cosmetology Laws Missouri Hair Braiding

Filed: 1402963200June 17, 2014

Location: Missouri

Status: Closed

Cosmetology Economic Liberty Hair Braiding Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Access Denied: Orthodontist’s Low-Cost Teeth Cleaning Program Shut Down Under Archaic Law That Limits Access to Care Arkansas Dentistry

Filed: 1401148800May 27, 2014

Location: Arkansas

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Teeth-Whitening Entrepreneur Challenges Dentists’ Monopoly in Georgia Georgia Teeth Whitening

Filed: 1396396800April 2, 2014

Location: Georgia

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing Teeth Whitening
Lawsuit

Ridesharing Drivers Fight Back; Join Lawsuit to Challenge Chicago’s Cab Cartels Chicago Ridesharing

Filed: 1395705600March 25, 2014

Location: Chicago

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing Transportation
Lawsuit

Animal Massage Therapists Now Free to Practice Their Craft in Arizona Arizona Animal Massage

Filed: 1393977600March 5, 2014

Location: Arizona

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Should African hair braiders have to build an entire barber college and become barbering instructors just to teach hair braiding? Texas officials think so. Texas Hair Braiding Instruction

Filed: 1380585600October 1, 2013

Location: Texas

Status: Closed

Cosmetology Economic Liberty Hair Braiding Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Psychology Board Censors Advice Column: America’s Longest-Running Advice Columnist Files Free Speech Lawsuit After Being Threatened with Jail and Told to Stop Publishing His Column in Kentucky Kentucky Psychology Speech

Filed: 1374105600July 18, 2013

Location: Kentucky

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty First Amendment Occupational Licensing Occupational Speech
Lawsuit

Alabama Smiles: Entrepreneurs Fight Back Against Teeth-Whitening Monopolies Alabama Teeth Whitening

Filed: 1367280000April 30, 2013

Location: Alabama

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing Teeth Whitening
Lawsuit

Retired Texas Vet’s Free-Speech Fight to Keep Helping Animals Texas Veterinary Speech

Filed: 1365465600April 9, 2013

Location: Texas

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty First Amendment Health Occupational Licensing Occupational Speech
Lawsuit

Putting a New Face on Liberty: Nevada Makeup Artists Fight for Their Right to Teach Nevada Makeup

Filed: 1340064000June 19, 2012

Location: Nevada

Status: Closed

Cosmetology Economic Liberty First Amendment Occupational Licensing Occupational Speech
Lawsuit

Caveman Blogger Fights for Free Speech and Internet Freedom: Challenging the Government’s Authority to Censor Ordinary Advice North Carolina Free Speech

Filed: 1338336000May 30, 2012

Location: North Carolina

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty First Amendment Occupational Licensing Occupational Speech
Lawsuit

Protectionism in Portland, Ore.: City Threatened $895,000 in Fines For Limo Entrepreneurs Who Offered Groupon Discounts Portland Sedans

Filed: 1335398400April 26, 2012

Location: Portland

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing Transportation
Lawsuit

A Successful Challenge to the IRS’s Authority To License Tax Preparers IRS Tax Preparers

Filed: 1331596800March 13, 2012

Location: DC

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Challenging New Orleans’ Tour-Guide Licensing Scheme NOLA Tours

Filed: 1323734400December 13, 2011

Location: New Orleans

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty First Amendment Occupational Licensing Occupational Speech Tour Guides
Lawsuit

A Reason to Smile in the Constitution State: Entrepreneurs Challenge Connecticut’s Teeth-Whitening Monopoly Connecticut Teeth Whitening

Filed: 1321401600November 16, 2011

Location: Connecticut

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing Teeth Whitening
Lawsuit

Taking on the Taxi Cartel Challenging Milwaukee’s Unconstitutional Taxicab Law Milwaukee Taxis

Filed: 1316995200September 26, 2011

Location: Milwaukee

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing Transportation
Lawsuit

Will Arizona Courts Leave Protection of Individual Liberty Threadbare?: Arizona Eyebrow Threaders Fight Irrational Licensing Scheme Arizona Eyebrow Threading

Filed: 1309305600June 29, 2011

Location: Arizona

Status: Closed

Cosmetology Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Brushing Out Utah’s African Hair Braiding Laws Utah Hair Braiding

Filed: 1303776000April 26, 2011

Location: Utah

Status: Closed

Cosmetology Economic Liberty Hair Braiding Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Drive to Freedom: Nashville’s Sedan Drivers Fight City Effort To Run Them Off the Road Nashville Limos

Filed: 1303257600April 20, 2011

Location: Nashville

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing Transportation
Lawsuit

License to Describe: Challenging Washington D.C.’s Tour-Guide Licensing Scheme D.C. Tour Guides

Filed: 1284595200September 16, 2010

Location: DC

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty First Amendment Occupational Licensing Occupational Speech Tour Guides
Lawsuit

Free the Monks and Free Enterprise: Challenging Louisiana’s Casket Cartel Louisiana Caskets

Filed: 1281571200August 12, 2010

Location: Louisiana

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Freeing Louisiana Florists: Licensing Law is Blooming Nonsense Louisiana Florists (new challenge)

Filed: 1267660800March 4, 2010

Location: Louisiana

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Hanging by a Thread: Texas Eyebrow Threaders Fight Irrational Licensing Texas Eyebrow Threading

Filed: 1260230400December 8, 2009

Location: Texas

Status: Closed

Cosmetology Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Grassroots Tyranny in the Cradle of the Constitution: Philadelphia Tour Guides Stand Up For the Framers’ Vision of Freedom Philadelphia Tour Guides

Filed: 1214956800July 2, 2008

Location: Philadelphia

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty First Amendment Occupational Licensing Occupational Speech Tour Guides
Lawsuit

Texas Government-mandated Computer Repair License Does Not Compute Texas Computer Repair

Filed: 1214438400June 26, 2008

Location: Texas

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty First Amendment Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Challenging Barriers To Economic Opportunity: Freeing Maryland Entrepreneurs From the Chiropractic and Veterinary Cartels Maryland Animal Massage

Filed: 1213056000June 10, 2008

Location: Maryland

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Challenging Texas’ Elitist Veterinary Cartel Texas Equine Dentistry

Filed: 1188259200August 28, 2007

Location: Texas

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Challenging Barriers To Economic Opportunity: Defending Minneapolis’ Free-Market Taxi Reforms Against an Establishment Backlash Minneapolis Taxis

Filed: 1177977600May 1, 2007

Location: Minneapolis

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing Transportation
Lawsuit

Challenging Barriers To Economic Opportunity: Challenging Minnesota’s Occupational Licensing Of Horse Teeth Floaters Minnesota Horse Teeth Floating

Filed: 1155686400August 16, 2006

Location: Minnesota

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Arizona Weed Control

Filed: 1127865600September 28, 2005

Location:

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Missouri Caskets

Filed: 1114905600May 1, 2005

Location: Missouri

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Challenging Barriers To Economic Opportunity: Untangling African Hair Braiders from Minnesota's Cosmetology Regime Minnesota Hair Braiding

Filed: 1113955200April 20, 2005

Location: Minnesota

Status: Closed

Cosmetology Economic Liberty Hair Braiding Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Challenging Barriers To Economic Opportunity: Untangling African Hair Braiders from Washington's Cosmetology Regime Washington Hair Braiding

Filed: 1091664000August 5, 2004

Location: Washington

Status: Closed

Cosmetology Economic Liberty Hair Braiding Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Challenging Barriers To Economic Opportunity: Untangling African Hair Braiders from Mississippi's Cosmetology Regime Mississippi Hair Braiding

Filed: 1091664000August 5, 2004

Location: Mississippi

Status: Closed

Cosmetology Economic Liberty Hair Braiding Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Let a Thousand Florists Bloom: Uprooting Outrageous Licensing Laws In Louisiana Louisiana Florists (first challenge)

Filed: 1071705600December 18, 2003

Location: Louisiana

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Challenging Barriers To Economic Opportunity Arizona Hair Braiding

Filed: 1070841600December 8, 2003

Location: Arizona

Status: Closed

Cosmetology Economic Liberty Hair Braiding Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

A Web of Restrictions?: Challenging California’s Free Speech Restrictions on Internet Real Estate Advertising Sites California Internet Real Estate Restrictions

Filed: 1052870400May 14, 2003

Location: California

Status: Closed

Commercial Speech Economic Liberty First Amendment Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Requiem for a Cartel: Challenging Oklahoma’s Casket Monopoly Oklahoma Caskets

Filed: 984528000March 14, 2001

Location: Oklahoma

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

The Right to Urn an Honest Living: Challenging Tennessee's Casket Monopoly Tennessee Caskets

Filed: 937440000September 16, 1999

Location: Tennesee

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

The Fight For A Free Market: Opening The Las Vegas Limousine Monopoly Las Vegas Limousines

Filed: 893980800May 1, 1998

Location: Las Vegas

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing Transportation
Lawsuit

Challenging Barriers To Economic Opportunity: Hosey v. Ohio State Board of Cosmetology Ohio Hair Braiding

Filed: 875664000October 1, 1997

Location: Ohio

Status: Closed

Cosmetology Economic Liberty Hair Braiding Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Challenging Barriers to Economic Opportunity: Hector Ricketts v. City of New York New York Vans

Filed: 855619200February 11, 1997

Location: New York City

Status: Closed

Economic Liberty Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Challenging Barriers to Economic Opportunity California Hair Braiding

Filed: 854409600January 28, 1997

Location: California

Status: Closed

Cosmetology Economic Liberty Hair Braiding Occupational Licensing
Lawsuit

Challenging Barriers To Economic Opportunity: Uqdah v. Board of Cosmetology Washington DC Hair Braiding

Filed: 688953600November 1, 1991

Location: DC

Status: Closed

Cosmetology Economic Liberty Hair Braiding Occupational Licensing

Sign up to receive IJ's biweekly digital magazine, Liberty & Law along with breaking updates about our fight to protect the rights of all Americans.

Footer Signup

Name*
First Last
Email
Yes, I want a hard copy, too!
- Yes, send me the magazine by mail, too!
Address
Street Address City State ZIP Code
Name
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Occupational Licensing

Institute for Justice

Gray v. Maine Dept. of Public Safety

Filter by Case Status

Lawsuit

Joshua Gray criticized the police—so they denied him an occupational license Gray v. Maine Dept. of Public Safety

Filed: 1630627200September 3, 2021

Location: Maine

Status: Pending

Lawsuit

North Carolina Board Tells Retired Engineer He Can’t Talk About Engineering North Carolina Engineering Speech

Filed: 1623283200June 10, 2021

Location: Wilmington, North Carolina

Status: Pending

Lawsuit

Virginia therapist launches a second First Amendment challenge to protect the right to practice talk therapy online across state lines New York Teletherapy

Filed: 1617667200April 6, 2021

Location: Albany, New York

Status: Pending

Lawsuit

North Carolina’s Surveying Board Grounds Small-Business Drone Operators North Carolina Drones

Filed: 1616371200March 22, 2021

Location: Raleigh, North Carolina

Status: Pending

Lawsuit

Oklahoma Threading

Filed: 1612396800February 4, 2021

Location: Oklahoma County, Oklahoma

Status: Pending

Lawsuit

First Amendment lawsuit seeks to protect the right to practice talk therapy across state lines D.C. Teletherapy

Filed: 1607472000December 9, 2020

Location: Washington, D.C.

Status: Pending

Lawsuit

California Firefighter Fresh Start

Filed: 1592524800June 19, 2020

Location: Sacramento, California

Status: Pending

Lawsuit

Utah Private Investigators

Filed: 1588118400April 29, 2020

Location: Salt Lake City, Utah

Status: Closed

Lawsuit

Lawsuit Challenges Arizona Engineering Licensing Law Arizona Engineering Licensing

Filed: 1575504000December 5, 2019

Location: Chandler, AZ

Status: Pending

Lawsuit

Louisiana Hair Braiders Fight For Right To Earn An Honest Living Louisiana Hair Braiding

Filed: 1560988800June 20, 2019

Location: Baton Rouge

Status: Pending

Lawsuit

Law Denies Women Right to Work Because of Irrelevant Criminal Convictions Pennsylvania Fresh Start

Filed: 1544486400December 11, 2018

Location: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Status: Closed

Lawsuit

Texas Veterinarian Renews Fight to Give Professional Advice Online Texas Veterinary Speech II

Filed: 1538438400October 2, 2018

Location: Brownsville, TX

Status: Pending

Lawsuit

Mississippi Regulatory Board Sues Tech Entrepreneurs to Prevent Competition Mississippi Mapping

Filed: 1531180800July 10, 2018

Location: Canton, MS

Status: Closed

Lawsuit

Georgia Lactation Consultants

Filed: 1529884800June 25, 2018

Location: Atlanta, GA

Status: Pending

Lawsuit

D.C. Parents and Day Care Providers Sue to Stop Rule Requiring Providers to Earn College Degree to Watch Kids Washington, D.C. Day Care Education

Filed: 1524700800April 26, 2018

Location: Washington, D.C.

Status: Pending

Lawsuit