New case seeks justice for NC family in SWAT raid with misleading warrant application. | View in browser
Institute for Justice updates
SWAT Raids
Another Innocent Family Seeks Accountability for Wrong Home Raid
When a SWAT team raids a family’s home in the middle of the night, the officers ought to be very sure they have the right house. But that's not what happened when a SWAT team terrorized an innocent North Carolina family with flash-bang grenades, shattered glass, and guns aimed at children as they were ordered out of their bedrooms. The fugitive the officers were looking for was not at the home. Even worse, the officers lacked probable cause to believe he had ever been there. Hoping to prevent other families from suffering the same wrongs, the family has teamed up with IJ to hold the government accountable.
Supreme Court Declines to Hear Challenge to Infamous Kelo Eminent Domain Decision
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an IJ case challenging the infamous 2005 eminent domain decision that let governments take private property to give to other private parties. IJ President and Chief Counsel Scott Bullock, who argued the earlier case at the Supreme Court, said, "In the 20 years since Kelo, everyone from the person-on-the-street to legislators to highly respected judges have said it was wrong the day it was decided. It is high time for the Supreme Court itself to join that chorus." IJ will continue to fight eminent domain abuse.
Support From Across the Ideological Spectrum Pours in for Family Seeking Justice at the Supreme Court Over FBI Wrong House Raid
As IJ's next appearance at the Supreme Court approaches, supporters from across the ideological spectrum have filed friend-of-the-court briefs supporting victims of a wrong house raid. Most notably, a bipartisan, bicameral group of members of Congress are arguing that a lower court misinterpreted a law Congress passed meant to hold the federal government accountable for its employees' misconduct. Groups as diverse as the ACLU and gun rights groups have also added their support.
Short Circuit: Substantive Due Process, The Podcast
We discuss one case with four opinions. The matter is about a Florida public school that didn’t abide by the wishes of a child’s parents when it comes to pronouns for the child. Much more broadly, it’s about the ins and outs of how the due process clauses of the Constitution substantively protect rights.
Is stretching out one’s middle finger at the police protected by the First Amendment? And whether it is or not, can the police trump up charges and assault someone who flips that bird? We dig into those deep constitutional issues.
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