Case Updates

Defendants File Motion to Dismiss in Gag Law Case

The defendants in Barke v. Banks — members of the Public Employment Relations Board — have filed a motion to dismiss CIR’s complaint, challenging California’s union gag law.  The defendants argue that the plaintiffs — seven city council and school board members — lack standing to challenge Section 3550, which

CIR Files Suit Challenging Racial Set-Aside Law

The Center for Individual Rights has filed suit challenging a racial set-aside program for federal government contracts.  Section 8(a) allows the Small Business Administration to set aside contracts for companies owned by “socially and economically disadvantaged” individuals.  The SBA presumes that companies owned by members of certain racial and ethnic

CIR files challenge to California Gag Rule

The Center for Individual Rights and the California Policy Center have filed suit challenging a California law that prohibits public officials from making statements that might “deter or discourage” public employees or applicants from membership in a public employee union.

Section 3550 unconstitutionally censors viewpoints that are critical of

CIR to Oppose Guam’s Petition

CIR and Dave Davis’ lead counsel at Gibson Dunn are preparing to file a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in opposition to Guam’s petition for certiorari.  Guam filed its petition at the end of December, appealing the Ninth Circuit’s decision to invalidate its racially restrictive voting law as unconstitutional.

On

Guam Submits Supreme Court Petition

On December 26, Guam filed a petition for writ of certiorari with the Supreme Court.  The appeal was filed by the law firm, Kirkland and Ellis, which offered its services pro-bono.

Guam is appealing the recent Ninth Circuit decision that invalidated its political-status plebiscite law under the Fifteenth Amendment’s prohibition on

Former CIR Plaintiff Rebecca Friedrichs Talks About Case at White House

On Monday December 9, 2019, former Center for Individual Rights plaintiff Rebecca Friedrichs visited the White House for a roundtable discussion on school choice with President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos.

During her remarks to the President, Friedrichs talked about Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association,

Background: CIR’s Victory in Guam

Guam is an American territory in the western Pacific Ocean. The small island was ceded to the U.S. in 1898, at the close of the Spanish-American War. Since that time, it has become a home to nearly 170,000 people of various ethnic and national back-grounds.

In recent years, left-wing historians have

Newest Issue of CIR’s Docket Report

2019 has been a busy year for CIR.  Whether defending free speech in a welfare office in New York or challenging a racial voting law in Guam, CIR has been fighting for individual rights wherever the Constitution reaches.

You can read about CIR’s work in our most recent Docket Report.

CIR’s Thirtieth Anniversary

In 1989, Michael Greve and Michael McDonald founded the Center for Individual Rights, a new kind of public interest firm that would fight back against the liberal drift in constitutional law.  CIR would bring original cases that took dead aim at threats to individual liberty.  It was a big gamble,

Justice Elena Kagan Extends Guam’s Petition Deadline

In a surprising turn of events, Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan has granted Guam an extension to appeal the Ninth Circuit decision, invalidating Guam’s plebiscite law as racially discriminatory.  Guam’s attorney Michael Phillips will now have until December 26 to file a petition.

On November 6, Guam’s governor, Lou Leon Guerrero,