On January 22, 2020 the Institute for Justice argued one of the most important education cases heard by the US Supreme Court in half a century. In Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, IJ defended the rights of parents to participate in generally available scholarship programs and send their children to religious schools. The Montana Department of Revenue excluded parents who wanted to select religious schools for their children— thus violating their constitutional rights.

A coalition of hundreds of pro-school choice kids rallied outside the courtroom. You can read more about this landmark case from IJ’s director of the Center for Judicial Engagement Anthony Sanders, listen to IJ senior attorney Erica Smith’s NPR interview with Nina Totenberg, or view the complete transcript of the argument.

Along with school choice, IJ launched a new effort to hold government officials accountable for abusing their power. Rebecca Brown was flying home from Pittsburgh with her father’s life savings, over $82,000. Before Brown could board, the TSA and DEA took it and have yet to return a single cent. Additionally, IJ launched a new project on immunity and accountability. When single mother Shaniz West allowed police into her home, she never expected them to destroy it. Returning to a shell of her former house peppered with shotgun-fired tear gas-grenades, her family was left homeless and with no resolution from local authorities. IJ is fighting back and petitioning the US Supreme Court.