James T. Knight II is an attorney at the Institute for Justice. He litigates cases defending property rights, free speech, and economic liberty in federal and state courts across the country.
He joined IJ in 2020 as a Law & Liberty Fellow after spending a year as a legal associate in the Cato Institute’s Robert A. Levy Center for Constitutional Studies.
James earned his J.D., cum laude, from Georgetown University Law Center in 2019. At Georgetown, he was a senior article editor on the Georgetown Journal of Law and Public Policy and a Bradley Fellow with the Georgetown Center for the Constitution. Before that, he graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in political science and philosophy from Fordham University. He is originally from New Hampshire.
James's Cases
Economic Liberty | Fresh Start
Denied the Right to Work, Texas Women Sue State to End Unconstitutional Ban for Social Work
Two woman who overcame addiction and earned master's degrees in social work challenge a Texas law that permanently bars them from helping others because of old convictions.
Commercial Speech | Economic Liberty | First Amendment
Small Business Owner Sues Illinois for the Right to Help Property Owners Claim Their Lost Property
Illinois demanded David Knott get a private detective license—complete with training in crime scenes and firearms—just to help people recover their forgotten property.
4th Amendment Project | Open Fields Doctrine | Private Property
Lawsuit Challenges Warrantless Searches of Land
Louisiana game wardens have entered Tom Manuel's land uninvited and without a warrant multiple times. He's asking courts to follow the Louisiana Constitution and protect private property from unreasonable searches.
First Amendment | First Amendment Retaliation | Immunity and Accountability
Lawsuit Seeks Accountability for Unconstitutional Silencing and Arrest During City Council Meeting
A Newton, Iowa, man was arrested twice at city council meetings for criticizing local officials, so he sued to vindicate his First Amendment rights.
First Amendment | First Amendment Retaliation
IJ Joins Fight to End Retaliatory Defamation Lawsuit in Wisconsin
National Public Interest Law Firm Joins Fight to End Retaliatory Defamation Lawsuit in Wisconsin. IJ Defends a Community Activist Against a Village Attorney’s Frivolous and Retaliatory Defamation Lawsuit…
4th Amendment Project | Civil Forfeiture | Private Property
Class Action Lawsuit Seeks to Dismantle Houston’s Illegal and Unconstitutional Forfeiture Machine
Harris County, Texas, has an unconstitutional financial incentive for law enforcement to seize property and cash excessively without probable cause, often sweeping up innocent people in the process. Ameal Woods and Jordan Davis are two…
Economic Liberty | First Amendment | Occupational Licensing
North Carolina’s Surveying Board Grounds Small-Business Drone Operators
Michael Jones uses his drone to take photos for clients, but North Carolina argues that in doing so he’s practicing “land surveying” and needs a license. However, that’s not at all what he’s doing and…
Food Truck Owners Challenge One of the Most Anti-Competitive Vending Restrictions in the Country
Fort Pierce, Florida used to have an incredibly restrictive rule that banned food trucks from operating within 500 feet of a brick-and-mortar restaurant. After two food truck operators partnered with IJ, a court ruled the…
James's Amicus Briefs
Cleveland Botanical Garden v. Wade
Ohio Supreme Court