The Institute for Justice litigates to protect the constitutional rights of all Americans. IJ defends ordinary people who want to earn an honest living, own and enjoy their property, speak freely, and give their children a good education but find that the government is standing in their way.
We fight to hold government officials accountable when they violate constitutional rights and to prevent governments at all levels from bending the rules to expand their power or advance illegitimate ends.
IJ wins three out of four cases through outright courtroom victories or legislative change prompted by our lawsuits.
Featured Cases
4th Amendment Project | Open Fields Doctrine | Private Property
Alabama Open Fields
Killen, Alabama
Three northern Alabama residents have teamed up to file a lawsuit challenging a statute that allows game wardens to trespass on private property without a warrant.
Listeners’ Guide to Martin v. US
Supreme Court Argument Resources Find out more about the case Brief for Petitioners Supreme Court Docket Listen to the argument Media Contact Andrew Wimerawimer@staging.ij.org…
4th Amendment Project | Economic Liberty | Private Property
FinCEN Border Cash Surveillance
Esperanza Gomez and Arnoldo Gonzalez, Jr. run small businesses near the U.S.-Mexico border that provide everyday, small-dollar financial services—often for customers without bank accounts. In San Diego, Esperanza helps customers cash checks (often to buy…
Immunity and Accountability | Private Property | SWAT Destruction
North Carolina SWAT Destruction
A North Carolina family is seeking to hold SWAT teams accountable for raiding the wrong home in April 2024.
Educational Choice | Tax Credit Scholarships
Arizona Individual Tax Credit Scholarships (Federal)
U.S. Supreme Court Opinion U.S. Supreme Court Dismisses Legal Challenge to Arizona Scho IJ’s Educational Choice Cases…
Economic Liberty | Food Freedom | Wine
New York Wine
U.S. Supreme Court Opinion Victory for Vintners In Wine Wars! IJ’s Food Freedom Initiative…
Educational Choice | Publicly Funded Scholarships
Cleveland, Ohio, School Choice (Federal Case)
U.S. Supreme Court Opinion Victory for School Choice Cleveland, Ohio, School Choice (State Case)…
Educational Choice | Tax Credit Scholarships
Arizona Individual Tax Credit Scholarships (State)
In 1997, Arizona adopted the nation’s first statewide tax credit scholarship program. The program allowed individuals who donate to School Tuition Organizations (STOs) to take a dollar-for-dollar tax credit against their state income taxes, up…