Valencia Ag, LLC v. Alexander
Race and sex preferences in New York business licensing deny equal treatment and opportunity
When the State of New York legalized cannabis in 2021, William and Emmet Purcell seized the opportunity to plant roots in the burgeoning industry. By September 2023, William and Emmet had established their business, Valencia Ag, in upstate New York. They signed a $2,000-per-month lease—plus utilities. All that remained was to get a license. Valen ...
Californians for Equal Rights Foundation v. City of San Diego
San Diego first-time homebuyers fight for equal treatment under the law
The San Diego Housing Commission launched a pilot program in 2023 to help middle-income, first-time homebuyers achieve "the dream of homeownership." The program provides up to $40,000 for down payments and closing costs—among the greatest barriers to first-time homeownership. No matter who meets the eligibility requirements for residency, fina ...
Lynn v. Goff
Oregon teacher fights for equal treatment under the law
Tyler has always stood up for fairness and equality, and now he's taking a stand for the right to be treated equally in Oregon's reimbursement program. Represented by Pacific Legal Foundation at no charge, Tyler is fighting back with a federal lawsuit, continuing an essential lesson for his students that the government must treat individuals based ...
Lance Nistler v. Walz, et al.
Minnesota’s race-based grant program denies equal treatment to farmers
The Minnesota's Down Payment Assistance Grant Program's disfavoring of white male farmers violates the Constitution's equal protection guarantee. In fact, the Supreme Court has repeatedly said government cannot discriminate by race or sex except in very narrow cases of past discrimination—a justification not even invoked during testimony by Minne ...
Do No Harm v. William Lee
Tennessee’s race quotas for government boards deny equality and opportunity
Represented by PLF at no charge, Do No Harm is fighting back. Its federal lawsuit challenges the Tennessee podiatry board's race-based membership quota as violating the Constitution's equal protection guarantee. Its victory would ensure that all candidates can compete equally for any city advisory board, regardless of race. ...
Landscape Consultants of Texas, et al. v. City of Houston, et al.
Racial set-asides in Houston contracting deny equal treatment and opportunity
Jerry and Theresa Thompson have called Houston, Texas, home for more than 30 years. They love the area, having raised their family and built Landscape Consultants of Texas and Metropolitan Landscape Management, Inc., two thriving companies whose landscapers maintain parks, playgrounds, and other government-owned properties. ...
Azadeh Khatibi, et al. v. Hawkins, et. al
California’s controversial forced implicit bias training promotes distrust and resentment in medical care
Dr. Khatibi has organized and taught CME courses for many years on ophthalmology and, recently, following her cancer diagnosis, on mindfulness, wellness, and patient care for highly gifted and sensitive patients. Regardless of its relevance in her CME courses, she must replace some of her instruction with a discussion of implicit bias. Represented ...
Brian Dalton, et al. v. Hao and MA Growth Capital Corp.
Massachusetts small business owner fights for equal treatment under the law
Brian Dalton knows first-hand how brutal COVID-19 has been to small businesses. The longtime Massachusetts law enforcement officer founded New England Firearms Academy in 2013 after retiring from the Suffolk County Sheriff's Department. The academy provides all levels of certified firearms safety instruction to help citizens meet the government's f ...
Hierholzer v. Guzman
Racial set-asides deny veteran’s equal treatment and opportunity in federal contracting
Marty Hierholzer simply wants the SBA to treat all applicants based on their individual experiences rather than their race. Represented at no charge by PLF, he is fighting back with a federal lawsuit, challenging the SBA's discriminatory contracting program and the statute that empowered the SBA to make race-based judgment calls. ...