Shannon Poe v. Idaho Conservation League
Defending livelihoods from dredged-up pollution claims
Represented by Pacific Legal Foundation at no charge, Shannon is asking the Ninth Circuit to overturn the lower court's decision to restore his livelihood and strengthen the separation of powers by limiting broad deference to agencies like the EPA. ...
Daniel Knight v. Richardson Bay Regional Authority
California man fights government overreach to protect his houseboat and his rights
Daniel Knight has called Richardson Bay—in Marin County, California—home since he first dropped anchor there in 1999. For the 65-year-old retired truck driver with a fixed income, several medical problems, and no nearby family, boats have served as the only affordable form of housing. Today, Daniel lives on a fully operational, 35-foot sailbo ...
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. ...
Des Moines Midwife Collective v. Iowa Health Facilities Council
Iowa midwives fight back against cronyism to help expectant mothers
Emily Zambrano-Andrews has always had a passion for helping expectant parents bring children into the world. But ten years as a registered nurse working in obstetrics only led to her frustration with Iowa's hospital birth system. Caitlin Hainley has similar frustrations. Caitlin is a registered nurse and lactation consultant who attended childbirth ...
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 ...
Stephen Haile v. Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson
Arkansas’ race quotas for licensing boards deny equality and destroy opportunity
Stephen Haile is a devoted foster parent, who, with his wife, has fostered more than 300 children in Conway, Arkansas. As a foster parent, he has worked with numerous social workers and even helped a struggling single parent regain custody of her children. Over that time, Stephen has grown increasingly aware of the importance of ...
Cusano v. Cook County et al.
Illinois small business owner fights for equal treatment under the law
The COVID-19 pandemic was a brutal blow to small business owners. Entrepreneurs lost revenue not only because of the virus but also because of the government's confusing and constantly changing plans to mitigate its spread. Cook County, Illinois—which encompasses Chicago and represents over 40 percent of all Illinois residents—offered entrepren ...
Raymond Lofstad and Gus Lovgren v. Raimondo
Illegally formed federal agency threatens livelihoods of Atlantic fishermen
Raymond Lofstad and Gus Lovgren are both fourth-generation commercial fishermen running small-scale operations in the Mid-Atlantic. They're asking a federal court to restore their right to earn an honest living without interference by an illegally formed agency and its equally unlawful regulation. ...
Joshua Diemert v. City of Seattle
Seattle’s “racial equity” policies create hostile workplace for City employees
Joshua is suing the City of Seattle in federal court. A win will vindicate Joshua's right to workplace equality and protect everyone's right to be judged by the content of their individual character and work product, rather than being labeled and classified through the lens of discriminatory workplace equity initiatives. ...