Jaba Tsitsuashvili is an attorney at the Institute for Justice. He litigates against federal, state, and local governments, primarily on issues of civil forfeiture, fines and fees, and government immunity and accountability.

Jaba’s work focuses on Fourth Amendment protections against unlawful searches and seizures; the due process rights of people accused of civil or criminal offenses; and the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition of excessive fines.

As part of IJ’s Project on Immunity and Accountability, he also litigates and writes amicus briefs on issues of qualified immunity, Bivens liability, and related doctrines that shield police and other government actors from accountability for constitutional violations.

Before joining IJ, Jaba litigated immigrants’ due process and First Amendment rights and prisoners’ religious liberty and disability rights. For his work on behalf of detained migrants, he was a recipient of the ACLU of Southern California’s 2019 Access to Justice Award.

Jaba graduated from the New York University School of Law and the University of California at San Diego. While at NYU Law, he interned for Judge John G. Koeltl (U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York); the U.S. Department of Justice (Civil Division, Southern District of New York); and the Asociación Civil por la Igualdad y la Justicia (Buenos Aires, Argentina). He also taught basic constitutional and criminal law to young people through the High School Law Institute.

Jaba is a member of the California and DC bars.