Institute for Justice
Liberty & Law
Latest Issue
In This Issue
Victory for Economic Liberty: IJ Wins—Again—at the U.S. Supreme Court
On June 26, IJ secured an important victory for economic liberty—and dealt a mighty blow to economic protectionism—with our second win at the U.S. Supreme Court this term. Our case challenged Tennessee’s “durational residency” law, an outrageously protectionist restriction that required prospective business owners to have lived in the state for 10 years before they…
Mowing Down Abusive Fines in Florida
It all started innocently enough. Last summer, Jim Ficken left his modest home in Dunedin, Florida, for Columbia, South Carolina, to tend to his late mother’s estate. He asked a friend and local handyman to keep an eye on his lawn, lest it grow too long in his absence. Sadly, after Jim left, his friend…
Fighting Crime or Raising Revenue?
Civil forfeiture puts innocent people’s property at risk, and law enforcement uses it to police for profit. IJ has always known this, and thanks to our work, a growing number of Americans know it, too. We’ve been so successful in turning the tide of public opinion against forfeiture that proponents have been left with only…
Learning to Litigate for Liberty at IJ’s 27th Annual Law Student Conference
In June, IJ hosted 19 Dave Kennedy Fellows and 18 other top law students at our annual Law Student Conference. Participants enjoyed a weekend filled with both scholarly and practical sessions designed to inspire and prepare them to seize public interest opportunities in the future. As one student put it, “Being around so many intelligent…
IJ’s TRO Victory Delivers a TKO Against North Dakota Mural Police
The First Amendment protects the right of all Americans to speak freely on topics that matter most to them—from business to politics to any other subject. It does not allow government officials to pick and choose who gets to speak and what those speakers can and cannot say. Yet that is exactly what officials in…
Savannah Tour Guides Celebrate Victory
Loyal readers of Liberty & Law may remember that this past October we brought you the news of our victory over Charleston’s tour guide licensing requirement—a victory that was the fruit of a years long strategic campaign to change the way courts treat licensing requirements that tread on First Amendment rights. We are pleased to…
Untangling Red Tape, One State at a Time
With a new hair braiding lawsuit, IJ takes the fight for economic liberty to Louisiana. Since our very first case back in 1991, IJ has scored major victories for hair braiders across the country, both in court and in state legislatures. Twelve times we have sued to overturn licensing requirements for braiders, and 12 times…
Pushing Forward Against Policing for Profit in California
IJ is on a roll in the fight against policing for profit. In February, we obtained an unanimous U.S. Supreme Court ruling establishing, for the first time, that the Constitution’s ban on excessive fines applies to states as well as to the federal government. This past fall, we ended Philadelphia’s notorious forfeiture machine, which seized…
Turning a Loss Into VICTORY: IJ’s Strategy for Long-Term Success
We often say in these pages that IJ litigates cutting-edge cases and that these cases are uphill battles. What does that mean in the real world of courtroom litigation? It means that we frequently litigate about situations that no one else has challenged; we come up with legal theories that no one else has taken…
Decrease Your Taxes and Support Freedom
Suppose you could make a gift that helps secure constitutional limits on government power . . . while also providing you with income for life and reducing your taxes. It’s not too good to be true! All you need to do is establish a charitable gift annuity with the Institute for Justice. These are some…
