Kendall is a Senior Paralegal & Assistant Director of Special Litigation Projects based in IJ’s Texas office. She has worked on cases in all of IJ’s pillars in state and federal courts nationwide. Notably, Kendall served as the paralegal on Gonzalez v. Trevino, a landmark First Amendment retaliation case, from launch through U.S. Supreme Court victory. She was also the co-paralegal for Kimbrough Fine Wine & Spirits at the U.S. Supreme Court in Tennessee Wine and Spirits Retailers Association v. Thomas, a successful challenge to Tennessee’s durational residency requirement for retail liquor licenses.
As Assistant Director of Special Litigation Projects, Kendall brainstorms, develops, and manages internal and external tools that support IJ’s litigation efforts and advance IJ’s mission. She is particularly experienced in locating civil asset forfeiture cases and managed the development of IJ’s Project on Immunity and Accountability study, 50 Shades of Government Immunity, and interactive civil rights tool, Constitutional GPA.
Born and raised in the Texas Hill Country, Kendall attended the University of Texas at San Antonio, where she graduated with a B.A. in Criminal Justice at the top of her class. In December 2016, her desire to make a difference and respect for individual liberty led her to IJ’s office in Austin, Texas.
Kendall's Cases
Commercial Speech | Economic Liberty | First Amendment | Occupational Licensing
Small Business Challenges Oklahoma's Unconstitutional Restrictions on Casket Sales
Small business challenges Oklahoma's unconstitutional restrictions on casket sales
4th Amendment Project | Economic Liberty | Private Property
Small Businesses Threatened by Financial Surveillance Order File Suit Against the Federal Government
Money services businesses challenged a federal surveillance order requiring reports on low-dollar cash transactions near the southwest border.
First Amendment | First Amendment Retaliation | Immunity and Accountability
Smalltown Newspaper Punished for its Reporting Fights for the First Amendment
Four residents of a small Alabama county were targeted for retaliation by a district attorney and sheriff. Now, they are suing with IJ to protect their constitutional rights.
Economic Liberty | Private Property | Zoning Justice Project
Hair Braider Sues After City Blocks Her Business for Providing Too Much Competition with Existing Shops
In America, the government doesn’t get to pick winners and losers in the marketplace. Businesses compete, and the consumer ultimately decides which services or products they want. The idea that anyone…
Eminent Domain | Private Property
Ocean Springs Property Owners Challenge Secret Slum Designation in Federal Lawsuit
Ocean Springs, Mississippi declared properties in parts of the city blighted slums in a secretive process. Now, property owners are suing to protect their homes, businesses, and a church.
4th Amendment Project | Immunity and Accountability | Private Property
Texas Sheriff’s Deputy Falsifies Traffic Offense to Justify Unwarranted Truck Search
Alek Schott partnered with IJ for a federal lawsuit against Bexar County deputies for illegally stopping him for a traffic violation that he didn’t commit, and then using the stop to detain him and search his truck in violation of his Fourth Amendment rights.
Educational Choice | Publicly Funded Scholarships
IJ and a Group of Alaska Parents Seek to Protect Alaska's Popular Correspondence School Program
Alaska families intervene to defend a correspondence school program that gives them more options for their children's education.
4th Amendment Project | First Amendment | First Amendment Retaliation | Immunity and Accountability | Private Property
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.
4th Amendment Project | Immunity and Accountability | Private Property
Couple Sues Alexandria Over Unconstitutional Traffic Stop and Roadside Interrogation
Mario Rosales and his girlfriend were pulled over for failing to signal, but a police camera clearly showed him signaling. Now Mario is suing over the Alexandria Police Department's "fishing trip" traffic stops.
Immunity and Accountability | Private Property
Former Texas Prosecutor Worked as a Law Clerk in His Own Cases, Giving the Government an Unfair Advantage Over Those He Prosecuted
Everybody knows your prosecutor can’t also be your judge. Everyone, that is, except for former Midland County, Texas, prosecutor Ralph Petty, his supervisor, and the county’s entire system of justice. Petty spent 20 years moonlighting as a law clerk for the same judges he argued before, effectively playing both prosecutor and judge in more than 300 cases. It is one of the most brazen and obvious examples of prosecutorial abuse in modern American history, yet Petty and the others who oversaw this miscarriage of justice have never been held personally accountable for their actions in a court of law. With a lawsuit it filed on April 11, 2022, the Institute for Justice seeks to change that.
4th Amendment Project | Immunity and Accountability | Private Property
A police officer arrested two innocent children at gunpoint. Now they are asking the Supreme Court to hold the officer accountable.
A police officer in Arkansas held two innocent children at gun point when he was supposed to be searching for an adult suspect. IJ is asking the Supreme Court to hear the family’s case and make clear that such stops are unconstitutional.
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 victims of this system who have joined forces with IJ to challenge this corrupt system.
Economic Liberty | First Amendment | Occupational Licensing | Occupational Speech
North Carolina Board Tells Retired Engineer He Can’t Talk About Engineering
Wayne Nutt is a retired engineer who still talks about engineering and wanted to testify as an expert witness in a case that involved engineering issues. The state of North Carolina argued Wayne’s testimony was illegal because he didn’t have a license. This violates his First Amendment rights, which is why Wayne is working with IJ to fight back.
4th Amendment Project | Fines and Fees | Private Property
Florida Parents Partner with IJ to Shut Down Dystopian “Predictive Policing” Program
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. A group of parents have joined with IJ to challenge this unconstitutional system.
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.
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.
Commercial Speech | First Amendment
An Arizona county uses its zoning code to suspend constitutional rights
Yavapai County’s zoning system almost crippled Joshua’s and Emily’s wedding retreat business that they were running on their property. The pandemic made it impossible to pursue their legal claims, and so we voluntarily dismissed their challenge. Undeterred, they intend to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams when life returns to normal.
Economic Liberty | Food Freedom
Lincoln Home Baker Challenges City’s Unnecessary Regulations
Lincoln, Nebraska imposed restrictions on home bakers that the state itself decided to get rid of. One home baker named Cindy Baker teamed up with IJ to successfully challenge Lincoln’s foolish restriction.
4th Amendment Project | Civil Forfeiture | Private Property
Air Travelers Sue DEA and TSA Over Airport Cash Seizures
Retired railroad engineer Terry Rolin’s life savings were seized by the government, but he hasn’t been charged with any crime. Now he and his daughter are working with IJ to get his money back and fight back against unconstitutional civil forfeitures.
Economic Liberty | Vending
Texas Food Trucks Sue for Right to Compete on South Padre Island
South Padre Island caps the number of food trucks in town at 12 and requires that all food trucks have a restaurant owner’s sign off on their permit applications. The Texas Constitution prevents the government from picking winners and losers, which is why food truck operators have partnered with IJ to challenge the regulation.
Economic Liberty
Can States Bar Newcomers from Owning a Business?
A Tennessee law required that in order to open a liquor store, one must be a Tennessee resident for two years. With help from IJ, Doug and Mary Ketchum challenged this law, bringing it all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, where the law was struck down as unconstitutional.
Economic Liberty | First Amendment | Health | Occupational Licensing | Occupational Speech
Texas Veterinarian Renews Fight to Give Professional Advice Online
Ron Hines is a veterinarian who offers advice online to customers all over the country, but Texas said his speech was illegal. Now his case can move ahead on First Amendment grounds.
Civil Forfeiture | Private Property
Nurse Files Class Action Challenging CBP’s Abusive Civil Forfeiture Practices
Anthonia Nwaorie, a registered nurse and grandmother from Texas was flying to see family in Nigeria when Customs and Border Patrol took her life savings without ever charging her with a crime. So, she joined forces with IJ to challenge this unconstitutional money grab.
Civil Forfeiture | Private Property
Border Patrol Agents Used a Flimsy Excuse to Seize A Man’s Truck, Then Held It for Two Years, Refusing His Requests for a Hearing. He Is Now Appealing His Case to the U.S. Supreme Court, Calling for Prompt Hearings After Vehicle Seizures
Border Patrol Agents used a flimsy excuse to seize Gerardo Serrano’s truck, then held it for two years. IJ asked the Supreme Court to hear Gerardo’s case, but unfortunately the court declined to do so.
Economic Liberty | Vending
Derby City Betting Against Food Trucks
City Council members in Louisville worked closely with established brick-and-mortar restaurants to keep out food truck competition. IJ secured a federal court order barring the city from discriminating against food trucks and then successfully worked to prevent a city council member from undermining the order.
Code Enforcement | Fines and Fees | Private Property
Eminent Domain in Disguise: Putting an End to Charlestown, Ind.’s Unconstitutional Home Inspection Scheme
A small-town mayor in rural Indiana has made it his personal mission to oust the residents of a tight-knit working-class neighborhood, bulldoze their homes and build a fancy new subdivision for much wealthier people. The only things standing in his way are a plethora of state statutes, the Indiana and U.S. constitutions and IJ, which has filed a lawsuit against the city on behalf of dozens of property owners.
Economic Liberty | First Amendment | Occupational Licensing | Occupational Speech | Tour Guides
Charleston Tour Guides Challenge Unconstitutional License to Talk
Economic Liberty | Food Freedom | Private Property
Beer Bounty: Texas Craft Brewers Sue Over New Law That Requires Them to Give Part of Their Businesses to Distributors for Free
A Texas law is forcing craft brewers to give up millions of dollars of valuable property to politically connected beer distributors.
Kendall's Research & Reports
Immunity and Accountability
Constitutional GPA
Constitutional rights only exist if they can be enforced. But a confusing patchwork of immunity doctrines and special rules often means they cannot be. Chief among the doctrines that prevent constitutional accountability is qualified immunity,…
Immunity and Accountability
50 Shades of Government Immunity
Americans Deserve Their Day in Court: New study ranks states on access to justice and government accountability…