Institute for Justice

Constitutional rights should never depend on an individual's ability to pay. That's why, at IJ, we never charge our clients a dime. ❤️ Join our fight for freedom and justice today at ij.org/support/give-n… #GivingTuesday

They Made Selling Boxes Illegal—A Group of Monks Fought Back and Won! On this day 13 years ago, the brothers of Saint Joseph Abbey (represented by IJ,) put a lid on this state's casket cartel. Read more here: ij.org/ij-works-wonde…

Hey @MeatEaterTV, some of us out here are not overlooking game wardens' supposed authority to rely on the open fields doctrine. Some of us, in fact, are challenging that power in courts across the country--and winning! ij.org/press-release/… I'd be happy to come on the pod and chat in-depth about this issue. Just say when!

Excited to see @YahooNews amplifying the Providence Journal’s story about @IJ’s ROOM Act being filed in Rhode Island. Co-living housing is a key missing ingredient in many state housing reform efforts, with the potential to help housing affordability and homelessness!

Thrilled to share that my recent article, "The Original Meaning of 'Searches,'" is forthcoming in the University of Pennsylvania Journal of Constitutional Law @PennJCL. SSRN link below, and comments very welcome!

The Supreme Court will decide this term, in Chatrie v. U.S., whether executing a multi-step geofence warrant violated the Fourth Amendment. The en banc Fourth Circuit deadlocked 7-7 on what they took to be the relevant question: whether the gov't conducted a "search." For years, courts have been confused about how to determine which government acts count as a "search" under the Amendment. More recently, the search tests that produce the confusion have been defended as historically rooted. They're not, and the historical evidence is overwhelming. A draft of my new article is up on SSRN: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cf… Comments welcome at jwrench@ij.org.

The government can't create courts where bureaucrats play prosecutor, judge, and jury. @WSJopinion offers support to @IJ's latest case on behalf of a small farm against agency courts:

Today, the Arizona Supreme Court heard arguments in our case on behalf of engineer and entrepreneur Greg Mills. For more than 30 years, Greg designed, analyzed, tested, and built electronic circuits for everyday consumer products. After decades of doing this work as an employee, he started his own consulting firm to help startups and small businesses with product engineering. But Arizona’s licensing laws say the same work Greg could do as an employee becomes illegal when he does it for himself. This case asks whether the state can impose sweeping licensing and speech restrictions that prevent experienced professionals like Greg from earning an honest living. ij.org/case/arizona-e…

Through our Plate Privacy Project, @IJ has worked with activists throughout the country to get these ALPR contracts canceled, worked with lawmakers to push for reforms, and filed a first-of-its-kind federal lawsuit against the use of ALPRs in Norfolk, Va. plateprivacy.com

In 2020, in a case I had the pleasure of litigating with @PaulMSherman, @IJ won a major victory in Ladd v. Real Estate Commission, which reaffirmed that the right to earn a living deserves greater protection under the Pennsylvania Constitution than it currently receives under the U.S. Constitution. But Justice David Wecht, in dissent, sharply criticized the majority's decision for lacking any foundation in the text or history of the Pennsylvania Constitution. papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cf… I'm pleased to share the draft of my latest article, which responds to Justice Wecht's critiques. The thrust of the article is that the right to earn a living is fundamental in Pennsylvania and therefore deserves meaningful judicial protection--the very sort Ladd reaffirmed. I'll be presenting the article at IJ's upcoming conference on "The Other Declarations of 1776" on April 10, which you can register for using the link below!

Our Latest Newsletter: Lies, damned lies, and statutes of limitations. ij.org/sc_newsletter/…

This week, IJ submitted an amicus brief in the #SCOTUS case Chatrie v. United States, urging the court to recognize that the execution of a multi-step geofence warrant violated the #4thAmendment. ij.org/press-release/…

The ROOM Act would remove several barriers to allow for streamlining construction of new units or the conversion of current buildings into modern co-living housing helping provide a valuable tool in bringing affordability back to #RhodeIsland communities. ij.org/press-release/…

“I still don’t understand why I was mistaken for a criminal and treated like a violent one and I hope that now I can start to get some answers and hold the people who did this responsible.” ij.org/press-release/…

Leonardo Garcia Venegas is an American citizen. If being American means anything, it’s that he should be free to work without worrying that the government will raid the property without a warrant and arrest him for doing nothing wrong. Learn more about his fight for justice here: ij.org/case/alabama-c…

This morning, @IJ filed an amicus brief in Chatrie. If you’re interested in the history of “search” doctrine, geofences, and general warrants, you’ll want to take a look. 🧵 supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/25/2….

IJ will continue its work nationwide to restore real accountability when government officials violate constitutional rights—including in cases challenging #QualifiedImmunity, task-force #immunity, #FederalImmunity, and all other doctrines that place obstacles between the rights of Americans and remedies in American courtrooms.

“This case is remarkable because Officer Weyker’s actions were so egregious that even #QualifiedImmunity did not shield her... The Supreme Court’s refusal to engage with task force immunity today means that Officer Weyker will face zero consequences for violating the Constitution and her victim—Hamdi Mohamud—is left to bear the cost of her abuse.” —IJ Senior Attorney Patrick Jaicomo (@pjaicomo)

Hamdi Mohamud was a teenager when false claims by a task-force officer put her in federal jail for nearly 2 years. Today, the #SupremeCourt declined to hear her case, ending Hamdi's yearslong fight to hold a cross-deputized task-force officer accountable.

In Newton, Iowa in 2022, disgraced police officer Nathan Winters falsely arrested Tayvin Galanakis, a completely sober college football player for DUI…

Thanks to IJ’s win in Bailey v. Iles, the 5th Circuit rejected the outdated “falsely shouting fire in a theater” excuse for censoring speech. Now that 5th Circuit ruling could protect another Louisiana man targeted for criticizing his sheriff. ij.org/precedent-esta…