Federal Appeals Court Reverses Dismissal of Lawsuit Challenging Humboldt County’s Unconstitutional Fine System
Last week, in a significant victory for property rights, the 9th Circuit overturned a district court decision that dismissed a lawsuit challenging Humboldt County’s unconstitutional code enforcement program. Following the legalization of marijuana in California, the county created a system where property owners could face hundreds of thousands of dollars in penalties for alleged violations supposedly linked to cannabis cultivation—even when no cultivation occurred. Now, the lawsuit will move forward.
North Carolina Nonprofit Plans to Appeal Court’s Ruling Dismissing Challenge to Ban on Legal Advice from Non-Lawyers
A district court granted the government’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed by a North Carolina nonprofit challenging the state’s ban on non-lawyers providing any legal advice. The North Carolina Justice for All Project teamed up with IJ to file this lawsuit, arguing the ban violates their First Amendment rights and makes it harder for North Carolinians of modest means to find affordable legal advice. We plan to appeal.
Bound By Oath: Special Weapons and Tactics (S3, Ep10)
In 2020, a police SWAT team blew up Vicki Baker’s house after a fugitive barricaded himself inside. On this episode, we ask: Who pays the tab when the government damages or destroys private property for the public good—the unlucky owner or the public as a whole?
City council meetings are usually low key affairs. Except when they’re not. This week, we have two cases where those in power were so offended by what members of the public had to say at a meeting that they were later arrested, in violation of their right to free speech under the First Amendment.
Your tax-deductible contribution helps IJ fight for Americans’ rights. IJ defends ordinary people who want to pursue their vision of the American Dream but find that the government is standing in their way. We stand with our clients no matter how long their cases take and we win nearly 75% of the time.
