Shaping Justice: IJ Takes Two Texas Cases to SCOTUS

You are invited to join the Institute for Justice in Austin for a morning of dialogue and listening in to the SCOTUS oral argument in DeVillier v. Texas. Breakfast tacos, drinks, and lunch will be provided.

IJ managing vice president and senior attorney Bert Gall and IJ managing attorney Arif Panju will kick things off after breakfast with a panel discussion and Q&A session covering the wide range of IJ’s constitutional litigation in Texas. We will also preview the two IJ cases on SCOTUS’s docket: DeVillier v. Texas and Gonzalez v. Trevino.

Next, we will stream live audio from SCOTUS and listen to the oral argument in DeVillier v. Texas. In DeVillier, IJ argues that the Fifth Amendment’s Takings Clause is self-executing. The state of Texas admits that the Takings Clause requires the government to pay for land it takes but argues that Congress has never passed a statute commanding Texas to obey the Fifth Amendment—and, at least according to Texas, that means the state doesn’t have to. After the argument, we will have lunch if you can stay.

Access to our building: Due to construction to the front entrance of 816 Congress, please access our building via the temporary front entrance located in the alley (the doors are located near the loading docks in the alleyway accessible using either 8th or 9th street—9th street is closer to the entrance). After entering the building, you will pass the mailroom and building security. Please continue straight and you will arrive at the elevators. IJ’s offices (suite 970) are on the 9^th floor adjacent to the elevators.

how to register

Agenda

Speakers

Arif Panju
Managing Attorney of the Texas Office

Bert Gall
Managing Vice President and Senior Attorney