Plus new report shows how QI is about more than police misconduct. | View in browser
Institute for Justice updates
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IJ Takes On the Legal Monopoly in North Carolina
S.M. Kernodle-Hodges and Alicia Mitchell-Mercer co-founded an organization to expand access to legal advice for low-income North Carolinians. But North Carolina’s broad prohibition on the unauthorized practice of law—which gives licensed lawyers a monopoly on providing legal advice—stands in its way. That’s why IJ filed a federal lawsuit to vindicate the right to provide legal advice about court-created forms.
Full Fifth Circuit Will Re-Hear Texas Woman’s Prosecutorial Accountability Case
Erma Wilson is one of hundreds of people prosecuted by a Texas official who moonlighted as an advisor for the judge on his cases. But when she sued, seeking accountability under the federal civil rights statute, her case was dismissed under an outdated 5th Circuit precedent. Now, the full federal appellate court will reconsider that precedent and decide whether Erma can have her day in court.
Loss and Win Combine for Perfect Forfeiture Appeal in Texas
In 2014, IJ’s lawsuit aimed at Harris County’s forfeiture program came just one vote shy of obtaining review at the Texas Supreme Court. In a rare move, six of the nine justices wrote separately to outline the type of forfeiture challenge they would like to see in the future. We now have that case.
The largest ever study of qualified immunity cases, Unaccountable finds the doctrine shields a wider array of officials and conduct than commonly thought while unacceptably burdening victims of government abuse and failing at its goals.
We dive into some capital “D” Drama at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Then we discuss a qualified immunity case involving a raid that left many people injured but no evidence found.
A special episode on artificial intelligence and the law, including how we find the law. Ed Walters, a pioneer in bringing AI to legal research, joins us to separate the artificial wheat from the chaff.
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