Institute for Justice
Liberty & Law
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In This Issue
Criticize Local Government, End Up in Jail
Sylvia Gonzalez ran for city council in her hometown on the outskirts of San Antonio for an old-fashioned reason: She wanted to make a difference in her community. Little did she know her efforts would land her in jail—and in the midst of a lawsuit with big implications for free speech and government accountability. At…
IJ’s Project On Immunity and Accountability Picks Up Steam
The Institute for Justice launched our Project on Immunity and Accountability in January 2020 to fight judge-made doctrines that make it extremely difficult to hold government officials accountable for violations of constitutional rights. Little did we know that in less than 12 months we would have an accountability case before the U.S. Supreme Court—or that…
Bound by Oath Podcast Returns to Examine Government Immunity
In November, IJ’s Center for Judicial Engagement launched the second season of our legal history podcast, Bound by Oath. Season 2 jumps headfirst into the thicket of legal doctrines like qualified immunity that the U.S. Supreme Court has invented or repurposed over the past 50 years to shield the government from accountability. To tell that…
Wisconsin Food Trucks Enjoy the Sweet Taste of Victory
It’s been nearly a decade since IJ rolled out our National Street Vending Initiative. In that time, we have worked on the ground with entrepreneurs from Los Angeles to New York and won important court victories against protectionist restrictions that use government power to close the door—and the streets—to competition and innovation. Our latest victory…
Free Trade Uncorked in Minnesota
Making wine in Minnesota just got a lot easier thanks to a top-shelf ruling from a federal judge. The victory is the culmination of a lawsuit IJ filed on behalf of two Minnesota farm wineries in 2017, challenging a protectionist law mandating that farm wineries use mostly Minnesota grapes in their vintages. We argued that…
New $1 Million Challenge Grant Aims to Grow IJ’s Base of Support
The stories in this issue of Liberty & Law—and those from throughout this year—demonstrate that IJ’s work to make America a more just and free place for everyone has never been more important. And we’ve never been more successful. Despite the challenges of 2020, we have more cases in litigation than ever before and have…
IJ Gets Rave Reviews
IJ’s financial transparency and accountability to our donors are second to none, and our ratings from independent charity evaluators reflect this commitment to excellent stewardship of our resources. It’s the reason IJ has earned Charity Navigator’s top four-star rating 18 years in a row and maintains a Gold Seal of Transparency at GuideStar. We now…
Double Wins for Second Chances: Victories in IJ’s First “Fresh Start” Case
Thanks to a one-two punch this summer, some of the most vulnerable Pennsylvanians can now exercise their right to earn an honest living. Two years ago, IJ launched our first “fresh start” case—a challenge to a law that unfairly bars people from working because of their criminal histories. We represented two Philadelphia-area women, Courtney Haveman…
The Fight for a Fresh Start in California Picks Up Second Client—and Legislative Interest
Beyond our victory in Pennsylvania, IJ is also fighting for fresh starts in the Golden State. Last issue, we brought you the story of a preposterous California ban that restricts certification for emergency medical technicians (EMTs). The ban prevents people with felony records from becoming full-time firefighters—even though the state trains and deploys the same…
Justice at Last for Victims of NYC’s No-Fault Eviction Law
Almost four years to the day after launching a challenge to New York City’s no-fault eviction law, New Yorker Sung Cho secured justice for himself and thousands of others. Longtime Liberty & Law readers may recall Sung’s story: He owns a laundromat in Manhattan and, just before Christmas 2013, he found himself targeted by the…
Judicial Engagement in the Keystone State
Even in the bleakest parts of 2020, IJ had reason to celebrate, with a slate of important victories in state courts. In each, we used state constitutions to protect economic liberty where federal courts have fallen down on the job. Our track record includes great rulings in Georgia, Wisconsin, and the home of American liberty…
Free to Rent: Victory for Property Owners in the Tarheel State
This September, IJ scored a victory for property owners in Wilmington, North Carolina, when a judge there struck down a city ordinance that deprived property owners of their rights under an abusive amortization scheme. IJ clients David and Peg Schroeder are lifelong members of the Wilmington community. After retiring to the mountains, they bought a…
Oklahoma Tries to Take a Bite Out of the First Amendment
As anyone who’s seen a Cheerios box or Coca-Cola bottle knows, a product’s name is often the biggest thing on it. Other words on product labels are usually much smaller, except for large warnings required to highlight dangers, like on cigarette labels. But this year, at the meat lobby’s request, Oklahoma will start treating safe…
IJ Makes Headlines
These articles and editorials are just a sample of favorable local and national pieces IJ secured in the weeks prior to the release of the December issue of Liberty & Law. By getting our message out in print, radio, broadcast, and online media, we show the real-world consequences of government restrictions on individual liberty—and make…
