Claire Purple is a senior paralegal at IJ’s headquarters office. She has worked on cases in all of IJ’s pillars in state and federal courts across the country, with a particular interest and involvement in IJ’s educational choice cases. She was the paralegal on the landmark Carson v. Makin case from launch through U.S. Supreme Court victory. She also has particular experience in Pennsylvania and Tennessee state courts. In addition to her casework, Claire is extensively involved in the training and mentorship of other paralegals.
Claire joined IJ in July 2014 after graduating from Grove City College, where she was the editor of the campus newspaper as well as an editor for the College’s Journal of Law & Public Policy. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, traveling, and most of all, spending time with her husband and two children in Old Town Alexandria where they live.
Claire's Cases
4th Amendment Project | Open Fields Doctrine | Private Property
Pennsylvania Fish Cops
Tim and Stephanie Thomas purchased their cabin on Butler Lake in Susquehanna, Pennsylvania, in 2014. In 2022, after Stephanie was diagnosed with stage four cancer, it also became a sanctuary for her to rest and…
Other Property Rights Abuses | Private Property
Oklahoma Takings
Courts say Okay, Oklahoma owes Melisa Robinson for damaging her property. But the city won't pay. That violates her Fifth Amendment right to just compensation.
Educational Choice | Publicly Funded Scholarships
Utah Educational Savings Account Program
People have long come to expect a choice when it comes to their shopping. After all, not everyone has the same needs or wants. It’s an uncontroversial idea in nearly every facet of life. But…
Economic Liberty | Fresh Start
Virginia Fresh Start II
People who have overcome drug or alcohol addiction often want to help others overcome addiction, too. Their firsthand experience can make them particularly well-suited to guide others through recovery. Melissa Brown is one of those…
4th Amendment Project | Private Property
New Jersey Genetic Privacy
Like all new mothers, New Jersey residents Hannah Lovaglio and Erica Jedynak each experienced the usual emotional whirlwind during their pregnancies. They had attended prenatal classes, meticulously planned their nurseries, and devoured books on parenting.
4th Amendment Project | Open Fields Doctrine | Private Property
Virginia Open Fields
Josh Highlander’s son is afraid of the boogeyman. While playing with his mother in the yard, their basketball rolled toward the woods. She was shocked to see a figure standing in their woods wearing a…
First Amendment | First Amendment Retaliation | Immunity and Accountability
Novak v. Parma
Anthony Novak was arrested by his local police after he parodied the department on Facebook. His lawsuit against the city was dismissed after the officers were given qualified immunity.
Economic Liberty | Hair Braiding | Occupational Licensing
Idaho Braiding
Three braiders in Idaho challenged state requirements to spend thousands of dollars and a year of their lives for an unnecessary license.
4th Amendment Project | Business Inspections | Other Property Rights Abuses | Private Property
Ohio Warrantless Inspections
A taxidermist was threatened with jail time after he asked a wildlife officer to get a warrant before searching his property. With the help of IJ, he’s fighting back to protect the privacy rights of…
Commercial Speech | First Amendment | Food Freedom
Oklahoma Compelled Speech
Oklahoma requires plant-based meat products to include a massive disclaimer on their label, similar to that seen on tobacco products. IJ is challenging this foolish regulation that does nothing to promote public safety and also…
North Carolina CON II
The government should never prevent doctors from safely providing affordable health care services their patients need. But that’s exactly what North Carolina, along with 34 other states, do every day. Dr. Jay Singleton is working…
4th Amendment Project | Open Fields Doctrine | Other Property Rights Abuses | Private Property
Tennessee Open Fields
Tennessee Wildlife officials were caught putting cameras on Terry Rainwaters’ property, ignoring his “No Trespassing” signs. Terry and another rural Tennessee property owner are joining forces with IJ to fight back against the “open fields…
Educational Choice | Publicly Funded Scholarships
Tennessee School Choice
In 2019, Tennessee enacted an Education Savings Account that helped thousands of low-and-middle-income students receive a quality education. A year later, the mayor of Nashville announced a lawsuit attacking the program. A group of Tennessee…
Educational Choice | Tax Credit Scholarships
Nevada Tax Credit Scholarships
In 2019, lawmakers in Nevada passed a law that undermines the state’s successful school choice program by reducing the number of available tax credits. Nevada parents, a scholarship organization, and private donors teamed up with…
Charlottesville Writer Tax
The city of Charlottesville and Albemarle County have decided to require a license for freelance writers and have made writers pay thousands in back taxes. This irrational law favors some speakers, like the traditional press,…
Economic Liberty | First Amendment | Occupational Speech
Virginia Teaching
Jon and Tracy McGlothian wanted to teach job skills to adults in Virginia, but the state told them they could not do so without a license. With IJ’s help, Jon and Tracy were able to…
Cosmetology | Economic Liberty | Fresh Start | Occupational Licensing
Pennsylvania Fresh Start
A Pennsylvania law prevented Amanda and Courtney from earning an honest living because of unrelated criminal records. After IJ stepped in to defend their rights, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court ruled this law was unconstitutional.
Educational Choice | Publicly Funded Scholarships
Carson v. Makin
Video Interview with Attorney and Parent Supreme Court Decision School Choice Myths & Realities…
North Carolina CON
In Spring 2020, Dr. Gajendra Singh had to close his imaging center, in part because of the enormous costs imposed by the CON law. As a result, Dr. Singh’s lawsuit could not continue, but shortly…
Code Enforcement | Fines and Fees | Private Property
Doraville Ticketing
The Supreme Court has made it clear that it is unconstitutional for a justice system to be influenced by perverse incentives to raise municipal revenue. That’s why two Doraville homeowners and two Doraville drivers have…
Economic Liberty | Occupational Licensing
Pennsylvania Property Management
Sally helps people list their homes for short-term vacation rentals, but one day she received a call from the Pennsylvania Department of State arguing she was engaging in unlicensed real estate. She was told she…
Iowa Certificate of Need
For more than twenty years, Dr. Lee Birchansky tried to offer his patients the option of having their cataract and other outpatient eye surgeries in a center right next to his office in Cedar Rapids.
Commercial Speech | First Amendment | Sign Codes
Orange Park Sign
The town of Orange Park, Florida banned Scott Fisher from putting an inflatable blow-up of the video game character Mario in front of his video game store. IJ and Scott challenged the town’s law that…
Claire's News, Articles & Publications
Liberty & Law Article