Case Updates

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,

Supreme Court Rejects Guam’s Application for Extension

The Supreme Court has denied Guam’s request for an extension of time to appeal a recent Ninth Circuit decision, invalidating Guam’s racially restrictive plebiscite law.  The law would have restricted the right to vote in a political status plebiscite to “Native Inhabitants of Guam”—a term that the Ninth Circuit recognized

Guam Submits Motion for Extension to File Appeal

On October 28, Guam’s recently hired attorney, Michael Phillips, requested an extension of time to file a petition appealing a recent Ninth Circuit decision, invalidating Guam’s plebiscite law.  The application, filed with Justice Kagan’s office, comes more than a week after the deadline for extension requests.  Accordingly, Guam’s application must

Guam’s Governor Presses Forward with Controversial Appeal

[Update: New counsel for Guam has filed a motion for extension of petition deadline with Justice Kagan’s office 10-28-19]

On October 21, the governor of Guam, Lou Leon Guerrero, announced that she intends to appeal the recent Ninth Circuit decision, which declared Guam’s plebiscite law unconstitutional. The law in question would

Victory: Ninth Circuit rejects race-exclusive vote in Guam

A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit unanimously ruled that a planned plebiscite by Guam cannot go forward so long as it limits voting to “native inhabitants” of Guam.  The panel ruled that such an “impermissible racial classification” violates the Fifteenth Amendment of the

Wanted: Director of Litigation

CIR is seeking an experienced and proactive Director of Litigation to oversee new case development.  This person will develop litigation strategy in service of CIR’s mission, identify specific opportunities for litigation, and engage potential plaintiffs.  The Director of Litigation will report directly to the President and will work closely