Swanson v. Hilgers
Nebraska midwife entrepreneur fights unjust ban on her profession
Heather Swanson believes that the ability of mothers to choose where and how to give birth is an important right. Yet these foundational freedoms are under siege by a Nebraska law that defies logic and basic human rights. It is the only state to outright ban CNMs from home births; failure to comply is a felony. Meanwhile, lay midwives and doulas, w ...
Tilt Vision Studios, LLC, et al. v. The City of Waller, Texas
Artists fight government whitewash of free expression and livelihoods
Under the First Amendment, however, the government cannot restrict expression that it doesn't like. Yet the City of Waller has done just that, enshrining into law its own aesthetic preferences in an effort to kill a thriving art mural business. And similar regulations are popping up in other cities to police "acceptable" types of public expres ...
DiPietro v. Town of Bolton, Massachusetts
Struggling alpaca farmer fights government-sanctioned home equity theft
Alan DiPietro has been raising alpacas and selling their fleece since 2008 in Bolton, Massachusetts, a small, pleasant town in the state's Nashoba Valley Region. By 2014, Alan's alpacas needed more land, so he bought 34 acres that spanned Bolton and the adjacent Town of Stow. The property was undeveloped, so the 50-year-old former engineer ...
Fair v. Continental Resources
Nebraska widower fights government-sanctioned home equity theft
The outside world came to a screeching halt for Kevin Fair in 2013. His wife, Terry, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and Kevin had to quit his job so he could care for her at their Scottsbluff, Nebraska, home where they'd lived for nearly two decades—the home was a wedding gift from Kevin's mother. ...
Katie Chubb and Augusta Birth Center v. Boyd
Georgia birth center director fights crony protectionism to help expectant mothers
The ability to choose where and how to give birth is extremely important for Katie Chubb. She and her husband drove 2.5 hours during her own labor to get to the nearest birth center. Such centers are generally small businesses or nonprofits run by certified nurse midwives and supervising physicians. Katie is originally from the United Kingdom, wher ...
Foss v. City of New Bedford, et al.
State’s tax takings law enriches private company with senior citizen’s home and life savings
Life has not been easy for Deborah Foss in recent years. The 66-year-old grandmother lives in Massachusetts on a small, fixed income from Social Security. She suffers from several medical conditions, including chronic lymphocytic leukemia, COPD, and neuropathy. Despite these struggles, Deborah cared for her ailing mother for the last 10 years of he ...
Tyler v. Hennepin County
Victory! Supreme Court declares home equity theft unconstitutional
On May 25, 2023, the Supreme Court announced a unanimous decision in favor of Geraldine, ruling that home equity theft violates the Takings Clase of the Fifth Amendment. The Court explained that property rights are fundamental and cannot be erased by a state statute that redefines them out of existence. "The taxpayer must render unto Caesar what is ...
Celeste Mohr, D.D.S., et al. v. Texas State Board of Dental Examiners et al.
Defending the right to practice teledentistry from state-sponsored protectionism
Dr. Celeste Mohr began practicing teledentistry as a way to pursue a livelihood while also staying at home to care for her two autistic children. She offers her remote dental consultations via TheTeleDentists, a startup teledentistry platform that offers direct-to-consumer services. As with other types of telemedicine, teledentistry uses video, pho ...
Mucciaccio v. Town of Easton and Tallage Lincoln, LLC
A family’s loss is a private company’s windfall in state’s home equity theft scheme
Mark and Neil Mucciaccio treasure their deep family roots in Easton, Massachusetts. In fact, the brothers still live in their childhood home with Mark's wife, stepdaughter, and two grandchildren. A streak of financial hardship and family medical troubles that began in 2013 left them struggling to keep up with their property tax bills. In 2016, the ...