Articles

Did PLF clients influence Trump executive order? Hopefully.

June 01, 2017 | By JEFF MCCOY

For years, Pacific Legal Foundation has been helping to protect individuals from the irrational and abusive expansion of the Clean Water Act (CWA). In far too many cases, the government has claimed violation of the CWA when individuals use their own land in a way that does not pollute federal waterways. Often, the government has … ...

Articles

2017 midyear report : Your support leads to more PLF victories against an overreaching public sector

June 01, 2017 | By PACIFIC LEGAL FOUNDATION

The year’s midpoint is approaching, and once again Pacific Legal Foundation can report that the confidence that you invest in us is reaping major dividends.  They come in the form of powerful victories for the cause of freedom in general, and, specifically, in the “rescuing” of victims — individuals, families, and small busines ...

Articles

Weekly litigation report — June 3, 2017

June 03, 2017 | By JAMES BURLING

PLF asks Supreme Court to protect free speech San Francisco loses again in case over extortionate demands on property owners Sixth Circuit holds that victims of federal takings do not enjoy the right to a jury California Supreme Court hears case that could eviscerate Proposition 13 Farming “mini-mountains” case proceeds PLF asks Supreme ...

Articles

PLF sends dilatory Service notice of a lawsuit threequel

June 05, 2017 | By JOHANNA TALCOTT

What does it take to get the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to follow the law? For the citizens of Bonner County, Idaho, and members of the Idaho State Snowmobile Association, the answer is AT LEAST one petition, two formal comment letters, and three federal lawsuits. That’s ridiculous! … ...

Articles

The First Amendment protects speech that contradicts unions' policy preferences

June 06, 2017 | By ANASTASIA BODEN

This week PLF filed its opening brief in the Ninth Circuit in Associated Builders and Contractors-California Cooperation Committee v. Becerra, which challenges a California law that threatens to cut funding to speech contrary to unions’ policy preferences. The lawsuit targets SB 954, which changed the way employers can distribute money under ...

Articles

Vero Beach High School has a First Amendment problem

June 07, 2017 | By MARK MILLER

Vero Beach High School, a public high school on the east coast of Florida, has a First Amendment problem. The school failed to respect it. And now a student—J.P. Krause, a top student, rising senior, our client, and the young man who should serve as VBHS senior class president in the coming school year—understands better why the … ...

Articles

Preliminary injunction sought against Wisconsin's artisanal butter ban

June 07, 2017 | By JOSHUA THOMPSON

This morning PLF filed a motion for preliminary injunction in our challenge to Wisconsin’s artisanal butter ban. It has been nearly four months since Wisconsin first told our client, Minerva Dairy, that its Amish-churned butter was not welcome in the state. And, as near as we can tell, there’s little hope of regulatory reform coming fr ...

Articles

Oregon Supreme Court cites broad statute in upholding egregious abuse of licensing power

June 08, 2017 | By ANASTASIA BODEN

We received an adverse ruling in our lawsuit on behalf of David Hansen, which challenged a ruling by the Oregon Board of Architects that David practiced unlicensed architecture when he created marketing drawings.  These drawings were not blueprints or plans; they were meant to help a property development company attract retailers to potential deve ...

Articles

Federal agency admits plan to continue ignoring law

June 08, 2017 | By CHRISTINA MARTIN

When it comes to following the Endangered Species Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seems to think it is immune from the rules. Often we have to twist arms and file lawsuits to force it to formally acknowledge any improvement in the status of species listed as endangered or threatened under the Act. Nevertheless, … ...