James Odell is an attorney with the Institute for Justice. Before joining IJ, James worked in private practice, representing plaintiffs in civil rights cases in both Wisconsin and Florida. His practice focused on representing individuals who had their Fourth Amendment rights violated by police officers and protecting prisoners from unconstitutional abuse.
Before private practice, James was a public defender in Miami-Dade County for ten years. As a public defender, James represented hundreds of indigent clients facing serious charges through every stage of the criminal process. Over the course of his career, James has tried over thirty jury trials and handled hundreds of appeals.
James is a graduate of the Boston University School of Law and the University of Florida. He is licensed to practice in Wisconsin and Florida.
Jimmy's Cases
Economic Liberty | First Amendment | First Amendment Retaliation | Immunity and Accountability | Other Property Rights Abuses | Private Property
Virginia food truck owners file federal lawsuit after raging town councilmember damaged truck, town council repeatedly harassed them
Theslet Benoir and Clemene Bastien are a married couple that immigrated to the United States from Haiti in 2005. They received asylum, settled in Parksley, Virginia, and opened a brick-and-mortar store that caters to the…
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South Milwaukee Skeletons Letter
South Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Aventura, FL Food Truck Ban
Aventura, FL
Jimmy's Podcasts
June 19, 2026
Short Circuit 433 | Bond Hearing Without Lawyer
After an arrest, is the decision on whether a defendant can get out on bond while their prosecution proceeds a “critical stage’? In the Eighth […]
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