Cases
Economic Liberty
“The Institute for Justice argues that regulations that restrict entry into a field violate constitutional guarantees of liberty and equal protection of the laws when they bear no rational relationship to a legitimate government objective. In recent years the institute’s litigators have opened the taxi markets of Denver, Cincinnati and Indianapolis and have emancipated the providers of jitney services in Houston, generally for the benefit of minorities and to the consternation of protected interests.”
—George F. Will
Arbitrary licensing and permitting laws foreclose many occupations that are ideally suited to people of modest means. The Institute for Justice challenges these laws to secure constitutional protection for the right to earn a living and to demonstrate the importance of entrepreneurship to inner-city revitalization.
The precedent we set in our work and the victories we achieve will pave the way for thousands of hard-working men and women to enter the work force and provide for themselves and their families through honest enterprise. Check out more information on our economic liberty litigation.
- Current Economic Liberty Cases
- Alabama Teeth-Whitening-Westphal v. Northcutt
- Chicago Food Trucks-Burke v. City of Chicago
- Nevada Makeup-Waugh v. Nevada State Board of Cosmetology
- Portland Sedans-Speed's Auto Services v. Portland
- Virginia Certificate of Need-Colon Health Centers of America, LLC v. Hazel
- IRS Tax Preparers-Loving v. IRS
- Minnesota Embalming Rooms-Verlin Stoll v. Minnesota Department of Health
- Ct Teeth Whitening-Martinez v. Mullen
- Lake Chelan Ferries-Courtney v. Goltz
- Hialeah Vending-Membreno v. City of Hialeah
- Milwaukee Taxis-Ghaleb Ibrahim v. City Of Milwaukee
- DC Tours-Edwards v. District of Columbia
- Louisiana Caskets-Saint Joseph Abbey, et al. v. Castille, et al.
- Texas Eyebrow Threading-Patel v. TX Department of Licensing and Regulation
- Interior Design Litigation-Interior Design Litigation Summary
- Completed Economic Liberty Cases
- Atlanta Vending-Miller v. City of Atlanta
- Arizona Eyebrow Threading-Gutierrez v. Aune
- Utah Hairbraiding-Clayton v. Steinagel
- Nashville Limos-Bokhari v. Nashville
- El Paso Vending-Casteneda v. City of El Paso
- Shirlington Dog Park Mural-Wag More Dogs, LLC v. Artman
- Minnesota Small Farms-Richard Bergmann et al. v. City of Lake Elmo
- Louisiana Florists (new challenge)-Chauvin v. Strain
- Washington Hairbraiding-Diaw v. Washington State Cosmetology, Barbering, Esthetics, and Manicuring Advisory Board
- Texas Interior Design-Byrum, et al. v. Landreth, et al.
- Washington DC Hairbraiding-
- Dallas Sign Ban-Gilliland, et al v. City of Dallas
- Bone Marrow - NOTA Challenge-Flynn v. Holder
- Virginia Yoga Challenge-Kalish v. Milliken
- Maryland Animal Massage-Clemens v. Maryland State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, et al
- Texas Equine Dentistry (2nd Challenge)-Boone, et al. v. Texas State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, et al.
- Texas Computer Repair-Rife v. Texas Private Security Board
- Connecticut Interior Design-Susan Roberts v. Jerry Farrell
- Florida Interior Design-Locke v. Shore
- San Juan Vending-Franco v. San Juan County
- Philadelphia Tour Guides-Tait v. City of Philadelphia
- Davis-Bacon Act-Brazier Construction Co., Inc., v. Reich
- Ohio Hairbraiding-Hosey v. Ohio State Board of Cosmetology
- California Hair Braiding-Cornwell v. California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology
- Arizona Hairbraiding-Farmer v. Arizona Board of Cosmetology
- New York Vans-Ricketts v. New York City
- New York Wine-Swedenburg v. Kelly
- Mississippi Hairbraiding-Armstrong v. Lunsford
- Minnesota Hairbraiding-Anderson v. Minnesota Board of Barber and Cosmetologist Examiners
- Challenging Denver's Taxicab Monopoly-Jones v. Temmer
- Las Vegas Limousines-Clutter v. State of Nevada
- Tennessee Caskets-Craigmiles v. Giles
- Oklahoma Caskets-Powers v. Harris
- Louisiana Florists (first challenge)-Meadows v. Odom
- Missouri Caskets-State Board of Embalmers & Funeral Directors v. Gegner
- Minneapolis Sign Hangers-Dahlen v. City of Minneapolis
- Red Wing Minnesota Trash Hauling-Paul's Industrial Garage and Gibson Sanitation v. City of Red Wing
- Seattle, Washington Bed & Breakfast-McAfertys v. City of Seattle
- New Mexico Interior Design-Sherry Franzoy and Caryn Armijo v. Barbara Templeman
- Seattle, Washington Trash Hauling-Ventenbergs v. The City of Seattle
- Arizona San Tan Flat-Dale Bell v. Pinal County Board of Supervisors
- Pennsylvania River Rafting-Summer's Best Two Weeks v. Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
- Maryland Funeral Homes-Brown v. Hovatter
- Minnesota Horse Teeth Floating-Johnson v. Minnesota Board of Veterinary Medicine
- Minneapolis Taxis-Minneapolis Taxi Owners Coalition, Inc. v. City of Minneapolis
- Fighting Wisconsin's Ban on Cheap Gas-Bhandari v. Nilsestuen
- Texas Equine Dentistry-Mitz v. Texas State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners
- Amicus Briefs - "Friend of the Court" Briefs filed by IJ
- Minnesota Admission to Practice Law-Petition of Four Licensed Lawyers
ECONOMIC LIBERTY
Entrepreneurs Fight Back Against Teeth-Whitening Monopolies
ECONOMIC LIBERTY
Court Unanimously Slaps Down Public Utilities Commission and Hands Down Victory for Cabbies in Fight for Economic Liberty
PROPERTY RIGHTS
Federal Government and Anaheim Team Up To Subvert State Law, Financially Gain from Forfeiture
IJ NEWS
IJ Among Charity Navigator Elite Eleventh Year in a Row
