David Hood v. CA Department of Agriculture
Fighting California’s lawless general searches under the guise of pest control
For generations, residents of Southern California's Riverside and San Bernardino Counties have lived in harmony with the citrus trees that dot their private lawns and public spaces alike. The trees aren't just a source of fresh fruit; they're a living connection to the rich agricultural history of the state's "Inland Empire." When an invasive ...
Joshua Sabey, et al. v. Butterfield et al.
Parents defend custodial rights and children’s security from lawless search and seizure
Alarmed by her three-month-old son's 103-degree temperature and at the family pediatrician's urging, graduate student Sarah Perkins brought baby Cal to a hospital emergency room just a few miles from their home in Waltham, Massachusetts. Sarah's husband Josh Sabey, a documentary filmmaker, stayed home with the couple's toddler, Clarence. Doct ...
Medeiros v. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources
Hunters’ ‘right to retrieve’ tramples property owners’ right to exclude trespassers
Jim Medeiros and his family run their own business, White Oak Meadows, on land they bought in 2012 in Dinwiddie County, Virginia. Located outside of Richmond, the family cultivates environmentally responsible forest and farm products, including beef and poultry raised solely on grasses and native vegetation. Ranching can be a tough-enough indu ...
Vondra v. City of Billings
Local government wields unannounced, warrantless search power over private businesses and home practitioners
Short stints in a salon and a chiropractor's office are all it took for Theresa Vondra to discover her true passion: helping people achieve total body wellness through massage therapy. She graduated from massage therapy school in 2006 and spent several years working for others before starting her own practice in Billings, Montana, where she was ...
Hanke and Yoo v. Secretary Cardona
Educrats can’t ignore oversight board members appointed by the previous administration
In December 2020, President Trump appointed Professors Steve H. Hanke and John C. Yoo to the National Board for Education Sciences (NBES). The board serves an oversight function, advising the director of the Institute for Education Sciences—an independent, non-partisan arm of the U.S. Department of Education that evaluates and provides funding fo ...
Goodwood Brewing Company, LLC v. Beshear
Kentucky restaurants challenging Governor Beshear’s never-ending emergency powers
Trindy's, a restaurant and bar in Georgetown, Kentucky, had the capacity to seat 60 guests, 11 of those seats being at the bar. At one point during the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Andy Beshear's order forbade customers from sitting at the bar and limited restaurant capacity to 60%, and Mindy Tindle, the owner, worried about the future of her busine ...
Burke v. Raimondo, et al.
Governments’ misguided battle threatens California fishermen and their way of life.
Swordfish is one of the most popular types of seafood. It is also a significant source of income for Gary Burke and his family. He runs a family fishing business that makes up 30% to 40% of his income. He is approaching retirement and wants to pass on the business to his son. Gary is among approximately 20 active swordfish permit-holders in the ...
Peter Stavrianoudakis, et al., v. United States Department of Fish & Wildlife and California Department of Fish & Wildlife
Falconry regulations run afoul of the Bill of Rights
Peter Stavrianoudakis has been enamored with falcons since age 14, when he caught a type of falcon called a kestrel. "My first hunting experiences were in the front yard with the kestrel catching grasshoppers from my hand," Peter recalls. "I kept him for about two years, then set him free." Peter became hooked on falconry—the art of ...
Preserve Responsible Shoreline Management (PRSM) v. City of Bainbridge Island; Olympic Stewardship Foundation (OSF) v. Growth Management Hearings Board
Coastal property rights run aground in Washington State
Located directly across Puget Sound from Seattle, the City of Bainbridge Island is a residential suburb. Despite the fact that its shorelines have been fully developed for decades, in 2014 the city updated its Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) to require that any "human activity" with the potential of disturbing vegetation within the shoreline be app ...