Youth climate suits don’t have a constitutional leg to stand on
A federal appeals court has just announced an April hearing date in the youth climate suit Lighthiser v. Trump. The lawsuit was filed against the Trump administration in May 2025 by a group of 22 youth plaintiffs and spearheaded by the environmental activist organization "Our Children's Trust." The lawsuit asks the court to strike down a group o ...
How a Policy Interpretation turned Title IX against itself
When Title IX was passed in 1972, it promised to provide men and women with equal access to opportunities like scholarships, athletic programs, and extracurriculars. It was a beacon of progress in the fight for gender equality and transformational for women's athletics. It's perplexing, then, that the number of NCAA men's gymnastics teams has dw ...
A rancher’s land dispute could prompt SCOTUS to clarify sovereign immunity
Tammy Blakey's career as an airline captain took her all over the world from Shanghai to the Middle East. Now retired, she may soon be heading to the most exotic location yet: The Supreme Court. In 1990, Tammy and her husband acquired 165 acres of ranchland in Snohomish County, Washington. Together, they ran their small business, Flying T Ranch. ...
Wyoming county apologizes for wrongful fee, pays family back
In early March, Wyoming homeowners Shelby and Trey Scharp received an unusual letter from their county government. The letter began, "Teton County made a mistake. We required you to pay an affordable housing mitigation fee that you did not need to pay. We are sorry… and regret every minute of distress this litigation caused you." That le ...
New York says helping your neighbors understand a court form is a crime
In New York, a debt collector can sue you for money you don't owe—and win, if you don't respond. These debt-collection lawsuits aren't uncommon; they make up roughly a quarter of all cases filed in New York state courts, and defendants fail to appear in up to 90% of them. They can result in financial ruin, even when claims lack merit. Reverend ...
Parents challenge Boston’s tier-based school admissions as unconstitutional
This week, PLF brought its challenge to a Boston public school's admissions system before the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. PLF senior attorney Chris Kieser delivered oral arguments, advocating on behalf of parents who argue the admissions process is discriminatory. The case, brought by the Boston Parent Coalition for Ac ...
A Hawaii dolphin therapist’s case could shape the Comey and James appeal
Six months ago, James Comey and Letitia James had likely never heard of PLF client Eliza Wille or her dolphin therapy practice in Kona, Hawaii. Now, as the government fights to revive their indictments before the Fourth Circuit, their fates are closely tied to the psychotherapist's legal battle to save her business. Pacific Legal Foundation file ...
Public school teacher asks Supreme Court to protect off-campus speech
Jeanne Hedgepeth spent 20 years teaching social studies at Palatine High School outside Chicago. During her tenure, she was actively involved in creating an inclusive environment at school; she sponsored the gay-straight alliance, participated in anti-bullying initiatives, and produced a school-wide video to promote diversity. Then, in June 2020 ...
American Heroes : Beating Illegal Tariffs with Eva St. Clair and Rebecca Melsky
An episode of American Heroes with Kathy Hoekstra you won't want to miss! After the blockbuster Supreme Court ruling that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not authorize the president to impose sweeping tariffs, Kathy sits down with Eva St. Clair and Rebecca Melsky, co-founders of Princess Awesome & Boy Wonder, two busines ...