Joshua House is an attorney with the Institute for Justice. He joined IJ in August 2015 and litigates constitutional cases protecting property rights, educational choice, and other civil liberties.
Josh has spearheaded IJ’s efforts to fight abusive municipal code enforcement, filing several class actions and testifying before the US Commission on Civil Rights. He successfully represented the residents of Pagedale, Missouri in their challenge to Pagedale’s use of court fines and fees to generate city revenues.
Josh has also defended school choice at numerous state supreme courts, including a successful defense of West Virginia’s groundbreaking education savings account program.
Josh’s writing has been featured in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Orange County Register, the Reno Gazette-Journal, and the Connecticut Law Review.
Joshua's Cases
First Amendment | Immunity and Accountability
Arrested and Prosecuted for his Reporting, Citizen Journalist Defends His First Amendment Rights with Federal Lawsuit
Justin Pulliam, a citizen journalist in Texas, was arrested and prosecuted for his reporting on the activities of the Fort Bend County Sheriff. He is defending his First Amendment rights with a federal lawsuit.
Private Property
Humboldt Abatements
In Humboldt County, the government issues ruinous fines for things people didn’t do because it doesn’t bother to investigate. Innocent landowners then have to appeal the fines to prove their innocence at a hearing the…
Educational Choice | Publicly Funded Scholarships
West Virginia School Choice
West Virginia parents intervene to defend one of the nation's best school choice programs to help obtain the education that will best meet the needs of their children.
Educational Choice
Kentucky Families Fight to Defend the State’s Bold New School Choice Program
In March 2021, Kentucky created a school choice program that benefits thousands of low-and-middle-income families throughout the state. Just a few months later, a lawsuit attacked the program. IJ has intervened on behalf of two…
Private Property
Pasco County Residents Challenge Sheriff’s Harassment Based on Potential “Future Crimes”
In true dystopian fashion, Pasco County in Florida, harasses people at their own homes through a method called “predictive policing.” The system tramples on the rights of Pasco residents by placing them under near-constant surveillance.
Economic Liberty | Fresh Start | Occupational Licensing
California Firefighter Fresh Start
Dario Gurrola is a part-time firefighter who wants to turn his passion into a full-time job. But California prevents him from getting an EMT license because of a prior criminal conviction for which he’s already…
Educational Choice | Tax Credit Scholarships
Nevada’s Legislature ignores the state’s Constitution to reduce support for educational choice
In 2019, lawmakers in Nevada passed a law that undermines the state’s successful school choice program by reducing the number of available tax credits. Nevada parents, a scholarship organization, and private donors teamed up with…
Fines and Fees | First Amendment | Private Property
Ron Mugar successfully stopped the city's plan to take his home—and they're still making him pay
Ron Mugar successfully saved his home in court from being taken by the city in a process called a receivership. But the receiver nonetheless charged Ron over $60,000 for “obstructive tactics” just for defending himself.
Educational Choice
Washington Work Study
Summit Christian Academy wanted to hire college students to be tutors under the state’s work-study program, but Washington officials barred the academy from doing so, simply because it’s a religious school. After IJ got involved…
Code Enforcement | Fines and Fees | Private Property
Lawsuit Challenges Doraville, Ga. Practice of Using Traffic Tickets and Other Fines to ‘Police for Profit’
The Supreme Court has made it clear that it is unconstitutional for a justice system to be influenced by perverse incentives to raise municipal revenue. That’s why two Doraville homeowners and two Doraville drivers have…
Code Enforcement | Fines and Fees | Private Property
Class Action Lawsuit Challenges California Cities’ For-Profit Prosecution Scheme
The city of Indio charged Ramona Morales with thousands of dollars in attorney's fees for her own prosecution in a minor code enforcement issue. IJ stepped in to defend her against this unreasonable fee, and…
Economic Liberty | Health
Ending Iowa's CON Laws That Limit Medical Options and Enrich Established Businesses
For more than twenty years, Dr. Lee Birchansky tried to offer his patients the option of having their cataract and other outpatient eye surgeries in a center right next to his office in Cedar Rapids.
Eminent Domain | Private Property
Georgia Land Grab: City Seeks to Bulldoze Family-owned Small Business
Code Enforcement | Fines and Fees | Private Property
Class Action Lawsuit Challenges Policing for Profit in St. Louis Co. Municipal Court System
Case Video Complaint Latest Release…
Economic Liberty | Occupational Licensing | Teeth Whitening
Teeth-Whitening Entrepreneur Challenges Dentists’ Monopoly in Georgia
In Georgia, entrepreneurs who offer teeth-whitening services can be charged with a felony, imprisoned for up to five years and fined thousands of dollars. Their crime? Selling the exact same teeth-whitening product sold in stores.
Joshua's Amicus Briefs
People of the State of Michigan v. Travis Michael Johnson
Michigan Supreme Court