Scott Bullock joined the Institute for Justice at its founding in 1991. In January 2016, he became its second President. In the first five years of his leadership, IJ grew significantly, increasing its budget by 50%, its staff by 55%, and the number of cases litigated by 95%. Since 2020, IJ has also launched two new projects, one focused on immunity and accountability and the other on better protecting Fourth Amendment rights.
Before becoming president, Bullock served as a senior attorney and litigated a wide variety of constitutional challenges in federal and state courts, including some of IJ’s most iconic cases.
He was involved in many cases challenging the use of eminent domain for private development. He argued the historic Kelo v. City of New London, one of the most controversial and widely discussed U.S. Supreme Court decisions in decades. Following Kelo, Bullock worked extensively on grassroots and legislative campaigns with homeowners, small business owners, and activists to foment the nationwide backlash against eminent domain abuse.
Bullock was also co-lead counsel in the first state supreme court victory after Kelo, where the Supreme Court of Ohio unanimously struck down the use of eminent domain for private development. Some of his other successes in this area include spearheading the litigation that saved a beachfront neighborhood in Long Branch, New Jersey, a small record label in Nashville, Tennessee and the homes of the Archie family in Canton, Mississippi.
Bullock was lead attorney in IJ’s representation of the monks of St. Joseph Abbey in their challenge to a Louisiana law that prevented them from selling hand-made wooden caskets. That case led to a landmark decision by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals protecting economic liberty.
He also founded and directed the Institute’s initiative against civil forfeiture, a national effort to challenge the ability of governments to take property from owners without a criminal conviction. He led the litigation team that successfully defended a family-owned motel from a forfeiture attempt by the U.S. Attorney’s office in Boston. He is co-author of Policing for Profit, a comprehensive report published in 2010 documenting forfeiture abuse at all levels of government.
Among his work on other constitutional issues, Bullock established an early precedent extending free speech guarantees to Internet and software publishers in the Institute’s First Amendment challenge to a federal agency’s campaign against investment newsletters, computer software and websites. He also led successful lawsuits against rental inspection laws and efforts to open up taxi markets to more competition.
Bullock’s articles and views on constitutional litigation have appeared in a wide variety of media. He has published articles in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal and he has appeared on 60 Minutes, ABC Nightly News, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, and National Public Radio, among many other publications and broadcasts.
His volunteer activities have included serving on the board of a Washington, D.C.-based music and cultural center dedicated to the promotion of jazz.
Bullock was born in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and grew up in Jeannette and Greensburg, Pennsylvania, outside of Pittsburgh. He received his law degree from the University of Pittsburgh and his B.A. in economics and philosophy from Grove City College.
Scott's Cases

Civil Forfeiture | Private Property
Fighting Civil Forfeiture: Federal & Local Law Enforcement Agencies Team Up to Profit by Subverting California State Law

Civil Forfeiture | Private Property
Fighting Civil Forfeiture Abuse: Federal & Local Law Enforcement Agencies Try to Take Family Motel from Innocent Owners


Economic Liberty | Occupational Licensing
Free the Monks and Free Enterprise: Challenging Louisiana’s Casket Cartel

Civil Forfeiture | Private Property
Ending “Policing for Profit” in Texas: Constitutional Lawsuit Challenges Texas Law Allowing Forfeiture Abuse

Eminent Domain | Private Property
Taking Music Out of Music City: Nashville Abuses Eminent Domain To Take Small Country Music Business For an Office Building

Economic Liberty | Occupational Licensing
Challenging Barriers To Economic Opportunity: Freeing Maryland Entrepreneurs From the Chiropractic and Veterinary Cartels

Eminent Domain | Private Property
Eminent Domain Abuse in Long Branch, N.J.: City Seeks to Kick Out Middle Class Along Oceanfront To Make Way For the Rich

Eminent Domain | Private Property
Norwood, Ohio Homeowners & Small Businesses Battle City & Private Developer Over Eminent Domain Abuse

Civil Forfeiture | Private Property
Ending Prosecution for Profit in Utah: Citizens Demand Prosecutors Follow State’s Civil Forfeiture Law

Eminent Domain | Private Property
Mississippi Eminent Domain

Civil Forfeiture | Private Property
Policing and Prosecuting For Profit: New Jersey Ex-Sheriff Fights Civil Forfeiture Abuse

Eminent Domain | Private Property
Eminent Domain Without Limits?: U.S. Supreme Court Asked to Curb Nationwide Abuses
Film: Little Pink House State Reactions to Kelo Homeowners Lose Eminent Domain Case U.S. Supreme…

Eminent Domain | Private Property
Pittsburgh Fifth & Forbes Condemnation
First Amendment | Political Speech
Challenging Coerced Subsidies for the Political Class: A First Amendment Lawsuit

First Amendment
North Dakota Micro-Radio
Private Property | Rental Inspections
Searching Without Consent: Government's Assault on the Sanctity of the Home

Cosmetology | Economic Liberty | Hair Braiding | Occupational Licensing
Challenging Barriers To Economic Opportunity: Uqdah v. Board of Cosmetology
Scott's Research & Reports

Civil Forfeiture | Private Property
Forfeiting Justice
Texas law gives police and prosecutors generous rewards for seizing people’s property—without even having to prove the owner committed any crime. And the law makes it so hard for owners to fight for the return…

Civil Forfeiture | Private Property
Policing for Profit: First Edition
Civil forfeiture laws represent one of the most serious assaults on private property rights in the nation today. Under civil forfeiture, police and prosecutors can seize your car or other property, sell it and use…

Eminent Domain | Private Property
Little Pink House
Before there were Tea Parties, there was Kelo. Susette Kelo’s name turned into a movement. Her loss of her property was the final straw for Americans in 2005. When they heard about the Kelo decision,…
Economic Liberty
Baltimore
Baltimore's small shops and entry-level entrepreneurs are a vital, year-round source of employment and opportunity for those struggling to gain a foothold on the economic ladder.
Scott's Amicus Briefs
U.S. v. Bednar
U.S. Court of Appeals Fourth Circuit
Tony Henderson v. United States of America
U.S. Supreme Court
Florida v. Harris
U.S. Supreme Court
City of Milwaukee Post No. 2874 Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States v. Redevelopment Authority of the City of Milwaukee
U.S. Supreme Court
Alvarez v. Smith
U.S. Supreme Court
City of Monterey v. Del Monte Dunes
US Supreme Court
Suitum v. Tahoe Regional Planning Agency
US Supreme Court
Bush v. Al Vera
US Supreme Court
Bennis v. Michigan
US Supreme Court
United States v. James Daniel Good Real Property
U.S. Supreme Court
Cincinnati v. Discovery Network
US Supreme Court
Lucas v. South Carolina Coastal Council
US Supreme Court