Featured Cases
Immunity and Accountability | Private Property
US Citizen and Army Veteran Submits Claims for Unconstitutional Immigration Detention
George Retes, a U.S. citizen and Iraq War veteran, was detained for three days after encountering an ICE roadblock on his way to work.
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IJ Protects COnstitutional Rights
The Institute for Justice litigates to protect the constitutional rights of all Americans. IJ defends ordinary people who want to earn an honest living, own and enjoy their property, speak freely, and give their children a good education but find that the government is standing in their way.
We fight to hold government officials accountable when they violate constitutional rights and to prevent governments at all levels from bending the rules to expand their power or advance illegitimate ends.
See IJ’s Supreme Court Cases
All Cases
Economic Liberty | Transportation
Jordanian Immigrant Fights Back Against Colorado’s Transportation Monopolies
Abdallah Batayneh opened a shuttle company in Colorado with the goal of providing more affordable rides. But entrenched businesses got the government to use a “certificate of need” law to ban him from opening. Abdallah is working with IJ so he can open his business and provide competition in the industry.
Immunity and Accountability | Private Property | SWAT Destruction
Woman Fights for Compensation After House Destroyed by SWAT Team
Police destroyed Vicki Baker’s home while pursuing a fugitive, costing her tens of thousands of dollars and leaving her daughter’s dog with hearing loss. The city refused to pay for the damage it caused. IJ has partnered with Vicki to get the compensation she deserves.
Code Enforcement | Fines and Fees | Private Property
Homeowner Facing $100,000 Parking Violation Sues Florida Town for “Excessive Fines”
Sandy Martinez received more than $100,000 in fines for how she parked on her own driveway. This excessive fine not only threatens to financially cripple Sandy, it’s also unconstitutional and is the reason she has partnered with IJ.
Economic Liberty
Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services of Nevada, Inc. v. Chandra
In an appeal filed in February 2021, the Institute for Justice is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to examine the question of whether federal judges have unfettered discretion to unilaterally inject their own arguments or legal theories into cases where state action is challenged and reaffirm that the federal courts cannot act as advocates for the state.
Housing Abundance and Affordability | Private Property | Right to Shelter | Zoning Justice Project
Sierra Vista, Arizona, Residents Sue City to Keep Their Homes in Place
Under the guise of “zoning,” the city of Sierra Vista, Arizona is threatening to kick residents out of their homes in the middle of a pandemic. With IJ’s help, these residents are fighting back to save their homes.
Economic Liberty | Food Freedom
Wisconsin Cottage Foods II
Wisconsin bans the sale of many homemade foods, including common and shelf-stable foods like candies, chocolates, granola and roasted coffee beans. Seven Wisconsinites have joined with IJ to challenge the state’s arbitrary law.
Cosmetology | Economic Liberty | Occupational Licensing
Oklahoma Eyebrow Threaders File Lawsuit Against Irrational Licensing Requirement
Oklahoma requires eyebrow threaders to spend 600 hours learning skills that have nothing to do with eyebrow threading. This useless regulation prevents people from earning an honest living, which is why two eyebrow threaders have joined with IJ to fight back.
4th Amendment Project | Immunity and Accountability | Private Property
Oliva v. Nivar
José Oliva was brutally beaten by federal officers in an unprovoked attack at a VA Hospital. This attack violated his Fourth Amendment rights, and IJ filed a petition to have the Supreme Court take on José’s case.
Economic Liberty | First Amendment | Occupational Licensing | Occupational Speech
First Amendment Lawsuit Seeks to Protect the Right to Practice Talk Therapy Across State Lines
Elizabeth Brokamp uses talk therapy to help people improve their lives. She’s licensed in Virginia, where she lives, near the border with D.C. But D.C. will not let her see clients online who she could normally meet with in her Virginia office. Elizabeth and IJ partnered to challenge this unnecessary and unreasonable burden.
Fines and Fees | Private Property
New York Permit Fines
Joe Corsini keeps a pigeon coop on the roof of his home, like many other New Yorkers. The city’s Department of Buildings saddled him with thousands of dollars in fines for not having a license for the coop. He was then hit with multiple more fines while working with the city, so he decided to enlist the help of IJ to fight back against this violation of his due process rights.
First Amendment | First Amendment Retaliation | Private Property
Small Wisconsin Town Weaponizes Code Enforcement to Enrich a Private Law Firm and Target Its Critics
The town of Eagle, WI works with a private law firm to punish residents who speak out against town officials by hitting them with excessive fines and fees through the code enforcement process. Victims of this corrupt system have joined with IJ to push back and say: prosecutors must serve the public interest, not their own pocketbooks.
Private Property | Private Solutions to Public Problems | Right to Shelter | Zoning Justice Project
North Carolina Shelter Sues for Right to Offer Private Charity on Private Property
The town of North Wilkesboro, North Carolina attempted to block the only homeless shelter in the county from opening its doors at a new location, relying on bogus claims that the shelter would be “unharmonious” with the neighborhood. After the shelter joined with IJ, a federal district court agreed they should be allowed to open.
First Amendment | First Amendment Retaliation | Immunity and Accountability
Texas Woman Fights Back After Local Officials in Castle Hills Have Her Arrested and Jailed For Criticizing City Government
After she won her election to city council, Sylvia Gonzalez immediately began getting harassed by city officials whom she had criticized in the past. It got so bad she was even arrested and thrown in jail. In 2020, she joined with IJ to sue the city for violating her First Amendment and to hold officials accountable.
Commercial Speech | First Amendment | Food Freedom
Oklahoma requires vegan products to rewrite their labels to the meat lobby’s satisfaction
Oklahoma requires plant-based meat products to include a massive disclaimer on their label, similar to that seen on tobacco products. IJ is challenging this foolish regulation that does nothing to promote public safety and also violates the First Amendment rights of plant-based meat companies.
Educational Choice
Vermont Parents Sue State Over Unconstitutional School Choice Policy
Vermont has one of the most robust school choice programs in the country, but there is one massive exception. The state does not provide the tuition benefit for parents who want to send their children to religious schools. Three Vermont families have partnered with IJ to challenge this unconstitutional provision.
Educational Choice | Publicly Funded Scholarships
Grandparents Sue Granite State Over Unconstitutional Restriction on School Choice Program
The town of Croydon, New Hampshire does not operate a middle school and instead pays students’ tuition at nearby public or private schools. But a New Hampshire law prevented Croydon families from spending the money to choose a religious school. After a family challenged the law in court, the Legislature eliminated the unconstitutional restriction.
Economic Liberty | Private Property | Small and Home-Based Business | Zoning Justice Project
IJ Takes on the Fight for Owners’ “Right to Rent” in Wilmington, N.C.
Dennis and Peg Schroeder have invested substantial money in their home and chose to rent it out as part of their retirement plan. The city of Wilmington is trying to deprive them of their right to rent their own property. Dennis and Peg are standing up for their property rights, with IJ’s help.
Educational Choice
North Carolina Parents Join Forces To Defend The State’s Opportunity Scholarship Program (“OSP”) From Yet Another Legal Attack
North Carolina’s Opportunity Scholarship Program is the most popular school choice program in the state and offers a quality education for more than 12,000 students. Now, a coalition of parents has joined forces with IJ to defend the program against attacks from its opponents.
Civil Forfeiture | Private Property
Case asks court to end “policing for profit” and restore South Carolinians’ expectation that they are innocent until proven guilty
South Carolina’s civil forfeiture laws violate the rights of all South Carolinians to be free from excessive fines and fees. Caught up in this was Travis Green who had his money seized. Now, he is fighting to get it back, with IJ’s help.
Economic Liberty | First Amendment
Lawsuit Challenges Ca. Funeral Directors’ Monopoly on End-of-Life Care
Akhila Murphy and Donna Peizer are end of life doulas – they offer families assistance during at-home funerals. They don’t direct funerals, but California has argued they are acting as unlicensed funeral directors. With the help of IJ, Akhila and Donna are fighting for their right to help families with emotional and practical support during at-home funerals.