In January of 2025, Jaida Swain-Mark joined IJ’s Arlington, Virginia headquarters office as a Paralegal. Prior to working at IJ, Jaida worked as a Litigation Paralegal in Personal Injury Law assisting commercial trucking and auto-collision trial attorneys in Georgia and Virginia. Jaida’s passion for civil justice and fairness is what attracted her to IJ. Jaida aims to contribute to IJ’s mission by providing litigation support and assisting in the development of innovative legal solutions to protect civil liberties. As part of her responsibilities, Jaida conducts legal research, manages case files, proofreads, prepares, and files legal documents in courts nationwide.
Jaida was raised in Brooklyn, New York and Atlanta, Georgia. Jaida graduated from Georgia State University with a B.A. in Political Science. In her free time, Jaida enjoys spending time with friends and family, traveling, visiting museums, volunteering, and cooking. She aspires to become an attorney in the future.
Jaida's Cases
Fines and Fees | Private Property
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will decide whether the government’s fining a retiree out of his life’s savings for a paperwork violation is an “excessive fine.”
Eighty-eight-year-old retiree Tuncay Saydam is at risk of losing his life’s savings. Not because of a bad investment or a fraudulent scheme. Rather, the federal government is trying to fine Tuncay over $437,000—because he unintentionally…
Commercial Speech | First Amendment
Equine Body Work Teachers Sue Wisconsin for Violation of First Amendment Right to Occupational Speech
Jim Masterson has been working with animals for almost 30 years. But Wisconsin said he can’t teach without subjecting Jim’s school to an all-encompassing review of everything from Jim’s curriculum to intrusive inquiries into his…
First Amendment | First Amendment Retaliation
Arizona Educator Sues County Attorney Whose Hired Thugs Bullied Him Out of Election Campaign
Fernie Madrid ran for school superintendent in Apache, but he was running against the wife of the County Attorney, Michael Whiting. Whiting used his employees to retaliate against Fernie and bully him out of the…
Private Property | Rental Caps
Lawsuit Challenges New York Law That Keeps Apartments Off the Market During a Housing Crisis
Small property owners challenge New York's rent stabilization laws on vacant apartments, which keep tens of thousands of units empty amid a housing crisis.
4th Amendment Project | Open Fields Doctrine | Private Property
Alabama Residents File Lawsuit Challenging Statute Permitting Game Wardens to Search Private Property Without Warrant
Three northern Alabama residents have teamed up to file a lawsuit challenging a statute that allows game wardens to trespass on private property without a warrant.