The American Alliance for Equal Rights (AAER), represented by PLF, files a federal civil rights lawsuit in Illinois; freelancers choose to fight on, despite a bizarre ruling in Atlanta; and the Supreme Court’s role in America’s homelessness problem is brought under the microscope.

Here’s what’s on The Docket.

Fighting for equality and educational opportunity in Illinois

On Tuesday, PLF filed a federal civil rights lawsuit on behalf of The American Alliance for Equal Rights (AAER) challenging the use of race-based criteria to award state-funded scholarships to future Illinois teachers.

It’s not just morally reprehensible for the government to deny individuals access to benefits based on their race; it’s also unconstitutional.

The California Coastal Commission’s political retribution against Elon Musk

SpaceX founder Elon Musk is suing the California Coastal Commission after the agency pointed to Musk’s political commentary while blocking his plans to launch more rockets from the California coast. Brittany Hunter breaks down the Commission’s ruling against Musk, Musk’s response, and PLF’s legal battles with the agency—including our ongoing case, Shear Development Co. v. California Coastal Commission, which is headed to the California Supreme Court.

A trial court in Atlanta recently blocked four freelance writers and editors—represented by PLF—from arguing their case against the DOL’s January 2024 rule which would reclassify independent contractors as employees.

PLF attorney Wilson Freeman explains the twisted logic the court used to throw out our clients’ case and the steps the freelancers are taking to continue the fight.

Introducing: SCOTUS Scoop

With the Supreme Court term fully in swing, Anastasia Boden—PLF senior attorney and self-proclaimed SCOTUS nerd—has launched a biweekly newsletter to explain what’s happening at the Court and bring readers key quotes from the Justices.

Subscribe to SCOTUS Scoop

Reparations Roundup

PLF attorneys have been tracking the development of race-based reparations proposals springing up across the country. Proposals have included things like direct cash payments, grants, and government programs with race-based eligibility requirements—often in direct violation of the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause.

You can find the latest roundup breaking down new developments in California, Massachusetts, and Michigan at the link below.

Daily Journal: Supreme Court fails to acknowledge its part in America’s homelessness problem

In a recent op-ed in Daily Journal, PLF senior attorney Mark Miller traces the roots of America’s current homelessness problem to a nearly century-old Supreme Court decision.

As Miller explains, “This idea—that a constitutional right explicitly stated in the Bill of Rights can be substantially regulated—is the root of the homeless crisis.” Follow the link below to find out where the Court went wrong and what it can do to remedy its mistake.

There’s no denying that we’re in the midst of a significant housing crisis in this country. But when it comes to isolating the root cause of the crisis, myths and misinformation can quickly muddy the waters.

PLF strategic research manager Kyle Sweetland dispels three of the most pervasive housing market myths.

The Lars Larson Show: A dangerous precedent for local governments

On October 17, Joshua Thompson joined The Lars Larson Show to discuss City and County of San Francisco v. Environmental Protection Agency.

It’s hard not to take some pleasure in seeing PLF’s frequent foes battling it out against each other, but this case is no laughing matter. You can tune in to the 10-minute discussion at the link below.

Listen Here

Ayn Rand: An iconic defender of property rights

Ayn Rand once wrote, “Without property rights, no other rights are possible.” It’s a sentiment she shared with the Founding Fathers and founding members of Pacific Legal Foundation.

But as PLF editorial writer Brittany Hunter explains, Rand’s legacy as an icon in our movement goes much, much deeper than that.

Discourse: The ideal housing is all housing

What do Little House on the Prairie, I Love Lucy, The Brady Bunch, and Friends all have in common? Among other things, they all prominently feature (and to a large extent, revolve around) the home.

But as PLF legal policy manager Kileen Lindgren and senior attorney Mark Miller point out in a recent op-ed, the homes in each of those shows have little in common. Lindgren and Miller argue what Hollywood producers understand but too many politicians often fail to recognize: Trying to force people into one-size-fits-all single-family residences is a recipe for disaster.

PLF senior attorney Anastasia Boden pulls no punches in her recent review of Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch and coauthor Janie Nitze’s new book, Over Ruled: The Human Toll of Too Much Law.

Although Boden acknowledges her agreement with the authors, she also makes a point to highlight the “story [Gorsuch] misses.”