I don’t know how many of you are familiar with the Institute for Justice, but they are fighting for your rights every day.
I first heard of them while looking into a civil asset forfeiture case I was considering writing a post about. I ended up not doing so, but that case involved a combat Vet travelling to see his daughter in another state. He was pulled over for some pretextual reason. During the course of the stop the cops searched his vehicle and found about $89k in cash. They seized that money using the civil asset forfeiture laws. Shortly after IJ got involved.
Steven Lara got his money back, but not until IJ filed suit and the press got ahold of the story.
I was reminded of them when I read a story out of Ohio this morning. An Ohio deer processor and taxidermist was having issues with the Ohio DNR and a state regulation that allowed warrantless searches by the DNR. Click thru and give the full story a read, it’s worth the time.
And IJ is not just involved in civil asset forfeiture cases, their mission statement spells it out:
IJ is a nonprofit, public interest law firm. Our mission is to end widespread abuses of government power and secure the constitutional rights that allow all Americans to pursue their dreams. . .
IJ is the national civil liberties law firm that represents everyday people—free of charge—when the government violates their most important constitutional rights.
We focus on the areas of the law that provide the foundation for a free society, and we win nearly three out of every four cases we file despite the challenges inherent in litigating against the government.
According to the IJ site, they are currently involved in litigating 102 cases in 32 states and the District of Columbia. Those cases run the gamut from civil asset forfeiture to zoning to government over-reach to small business to eminent domain takings.
And I like that. . .