Brian Morris is an attorney at the Institute for Justice.
Before joining IJ, Brian was an associate at Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP in Cincinnati, Ohio. His practice there focused on civil litigation at the trial and appellate levels, including several appeals in the Ohio Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Brian clerked for Judge John B. Nalbandian of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
Brian received his law degree summa cum laude from Northern Kentucky University in 2015, where he was the Editor-in-Chief of the Law Review and finished first in his class. Brian also received a B.A. in English from Northern Kentucky University. Before law school, Brian served in the United States Peace Corps in Mongolia.
Brian's Cases
Other Property Rights Abuses | Private Property
Courts Say City Owes Her Over $200,000; But Now She Has to Sue Again to Get Paid
Courts say Okay, Oklahoma owes Melisa Robinson for damaging her property. But the city won't pay. That violates her Fifth Amendment right to just compensation.
4th Amendment Project | Private Property
New Jersey Parents File Federal Class Action Lawsuit Challenging State’s Secret Retention of Newborn Blood for 23 Years
Like all new mothers, New Jersey residents Hannah Lovaglio and Erica Jedynak each experienced the usual emotional whirlwind during their pregnancies. They had attended prenatal classes, meticulously planned their nurseries, and devoured books on parenting.
First Amendment | First Amendment Retaliation
Iowa Retaliation
The right to criticize the government is a pillar of our constitutional republic—embodied in the text and history of the First Amendment. And yet, across the country that right continues to be violated by unaccountable…
First Amendment | Occupational Speech
Right to Provide Legal Advice
Brian Morris Rev. John S. Udo-Okon at Word of Life International Church in the Bronx When wealthy Americans face legal troubles, they have a lot of sources of advice. Legions of lawyers, business consultants,…
First Amendment | First Amendment Retaliation | Immunity and Accountability
Group of immigrant nurses ask Supreme Court to hear case against prosecutor who brought bogus claims against them
A group of immigrant nurses whom rogue prosecutors tried to subject to indentured servitude, and their attorney who was criminally charged for providing legal advice, are asking the United States Supreme Court to hear their…
Fines and Fees | Private Property
Federal Government Seeks to Impose Multimillion Dollar Excessive Fine on Grandmother, Claiming a Fine is a “Civil Penalty.”
An Boston-area grandmother is fighting to have courts consider whether the multimillion-dollar penalty the government imposed on is unconstitutionally excessive.
4th Amendment Project | First Amendment | First Amendment Retaliation | Immunity and Accountability | Political Speech | Private Property
East Cleveland’s Government Weaponized its Police to Punish a Political Opponent. He’s Fighting to Hold It Accountable.
Cities can’t use the police to punish political speech.
Civil Forfeiture | Private Property
Highway Robbery in Reno: Nevada Cops Use Civil Forfeiture To Steal a Veteran’s Life Savings
Marine veteran Stephen Lara was left on the side of the highway in Nevada without any money, after police took his life savings without ever charging him with any wrongdoing. Stephen has teamed up with…
Brian's Amicus Briefs
Matthew Locke v. County of Hubbard
United States Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit
Florence Owner 1, LLC v. Duke Energy Kentucky, Inc.
Kentucky Supreme Court
Sharpe v. Winterville (Petition for Writ of Certiorari)
United States Supreme Court
Sharpe v. Winterville (Rehearing)
Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals
Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County v. Talevski
United State Supreme Court
Ohio Power Company v. Michael Burns, et al.
Ohio Supreme Court