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July 3, 2020 at 3:17 PM

Morning Docket - American Resilience: Our Nation Was Made To Survive Tough Times Like These

American Resilience: Our Nation Was Made To Survive Tough Times Like These In a typical year, the Fourth of July would be an occasion to celebrate America’s origins, history, and future. Marking the anniversary of our nation’s founding should be an opportunity for reflection on the…

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June 26, 2020 at 3:20 PM

Morning Docket - Local governments are undermining state laws that encourage ‘granny flats’

2020 has hurt minority small business owners the most 2020 feels like it’s following Murphy’s law: If something can go wrong, it will. Whether it’s COVID-19, the worst recession since the Great Depression, or the pain and turmoil from police violence and the subsequent protests, …

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June 19, 2020 at 3:19 PM

Morning Docket - Fighting the California Judicial Council’s emergency ban on evictions

Fighting the California Judicial Council’s emergency ban on evictions In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, California’s Judicial Council—the agency that oversees state courts—declared a de facto ban on evictions. That is, courts will not consider eviction cases during Governor Gav…

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June 12, 2020 at 3:18 PM

Morning Docket - Qualified immunity is a blank check for government overreach

Connecticut nail salon owner fights for fair treatment under COVID-19 shutdown orders In early March, Luis Ramirez closed his Hartford, Connecticut, nail salon, following Governor Ned Lamont’s executive orders for statewide shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Struggling to ear…

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June 5, 2020 at 3:19 PM

Morning Docket - Seattle’s rent moratorium would hurt renters and landlords—and it’s unconstitutional

Seattle’s rent moratorium would hurt renters and landlords—and it’s unconstitutional At the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, the Seattle City Council enacted a tenant relief policy that temporarily prohibits evictions or rent collection but allows for landlords to collect back re…

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May 29, 2020 at 3:30 PM

Morning Docket - Can we sue our way out of quarantine?

Open for business: Napa retail art galleries claim victory as county backs down in the face of a legal challenge After two long months of pandemic-related shutdown, throngs of Napa County, California, business owners are finally free to open back up. Quent Cordair Fine Art, a busi…

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May 22, 2020 at 3:18 PM

Morning Docket - President Trump signs executive order installing a “Regulatory Bill of Rights”

 Trump signs executive order affirming a “Regulatory Bill of Rights” President Trump signed a historic order this week that bolsters basic due process protections for Americans caught up in agency regulatory proceedings. The order includes a 10 point “Regulatory Bill of Rights” tha…

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May 15, 2020 at 3:19 PM

Morning Docket - COVID-19 has exposed the extent of the affordable housing crisis...here’s how to start fixing it

The Hill: Politicians seek relief for renters—but landlords have rights, too State and local governments have closed businesses across the country in response to COVID-19, putting millions of Americans out of work. Right now, those Americans’ biggest concerns are keeping a roof ov…

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May 8, 2020 at 3:24 PM

Morning Docket - PLF virtual town hall on how liberty can rebuild America

States should follow federal government’s lead in waiving racial preferences in contracting, then end them for good As the coronavirus pandemic rages, the federal government has suspended numerous regulations to alleviate burdens on companies performing much-needed work during the …

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May 1, 2020 at 3:05 PM

Morning Docket - PLF calls on 14 governors to suspend laws that inhibit emergency medical response

PLF calls on 14 governors to suspend laws that inhibit emergency medical response In 36 states, medical providers must prove that a new service is “needed” before opening new facilities or purchasing medical equipment. These anti-competitive Certificate of Need (CON) requirements a…

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April 24, 2020 at 3:19 PM

Morning Docket - Constitutional rights and voluntary action are the keys to beating COVID-19

To combat COVID-19, Florida must suspend its Certificate of Need Laws In support of the family-owned Brewster Ambulance Service, PLF has called on Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to suspend the state’s Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (COPCN) requirement for ambulances…

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April 17, 2020 at 3:23 PM

Morning Docket - Rebuilding America requires freedom: PLF’s Roadmap to Recovery

America requires freedom: PLF’s Roadmap to Recovery We are a nation of creators, inventors, builders, and entrepreneurs. At PLF, we recognize that the only way to recover from the COVID-19 crisis is to unleash our productive energy. Our “Roadmap to Recovery,” released this week, …

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April 10, 2020 at 4:12 PM

Morning Docket - The administrative state’s chokehold on COVID-19 tests put millions of Americans at risk

The Hill: The administrative state’s chokehold on COVID-19 tests put millions of Americans at risk At this point in the pandemic, slowing the virus’ spread in the United States requires a two-pronged approach: altering behaviors through practices such as social distancing and shelt…

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April 3, 2020 at 3:18 PM

Morning Docket - California’s Newsom is wrong: Martial law is always a last resort

The Hill: California’s Newsom is wrong: Martial law is always a last resort Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that the continued spread of COVID-19 in California could necessitate the imposition of martial law. “We have the ability to do martial law...if we feel the necessity,” Newsom st…

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March 27, 2020 at 3:17 PM

Morning Docket - Coronavirus puts absurdity of inflexible government regulations in sharp relief

Fox Business: Coronavirus puts absurdity of inflexible government regulations in sharp relief Phillip Truesdell is ready, willing, and able to help with the current pandemic. He and his family operate an ambulance company in Aberdeen, Ohio. With seven trucks, they’re well-position…

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March 20, 2020 at 3:17 PM

Morning Docket - A special message from PLF President Steven D. Anderson

A special message from PLF President Steven D. Anderson To say these are strange times is an understatement.     I’m writing this note from a makeshift office in my living room. The dining room serves as both my wife’s workstation and the schoolhouse for Thomas and Henry, our second…

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March 13, 2020 at 3:19 PM

Morning Docket - California’s DMV strays from its own lane to act as speech police

Connecticut Post: State must end race-based school quotas Connecticut parents and education reformers recently marked a major victory after the state, facing a legal challenge by black and Hispanic parents in Hartford, announced it would at last end its longstanding policy of race…

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March 6, 2020 at 4:17 PM

Morning Docket - How tiny homes can solve big problems (when they’re not squished by big government)

The Supreme Court will soon decide whether the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is unconstitutional The Supreme Court heard arguments this week in Seila Law v. CFPB, a case that, at its core, deals with the structure of an administrative government agency. As Oliver Dunford p…

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February 28, 2020 at 4:26 PM

Morning Docket - Ending the administrative state is an uphill and necessary battle for a free nation

National Review: Ending the administrative state is an uphill and necessary battle for a free nation The New Republic warns that some Supreme Court justices want to revive the nondelegation doctrine—a fancy term for the idea that Congress can’t punt its lawmaking power to a differ…

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February 21, 2020 at 5:00 PM

Morning Docket - Stop Home Equity Theft in Arizona!

Stop Home Equity Theft in Arizona! Home equity is property. Taking it is home equity theft. But in 13 states, the property tax foreclosure process results in homeowners completely losing all their home equity, beyond what is owed for property taxes, interest, and fees. PLF is figh…

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February 14, 2020 at 4:19 PM

Morning Docket - This entrepreneur is suing for the right to transport hospital patients across state lines

‘Rights of nature’ would erode rights of individuals Environmental activists in Florida seek to do something never done before in American law: They want to give the Santa Fe River a “right of nature” to sue anyone that injures it. If you think that sounds crazy, you’re not alone: …

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February 7, 2020 at 4:20 PM

Morning Docket - Seattle and the state Supreme Court wage war on property rights

The Wall Street Journal: Seattle and the state Supreme Court wage war on property rights Affordable-housing shortages are an abiding challenge for cities around the nation. But often policies meant to alleviate the problem aggravate it instead. That’s certainly the case in Seattle,…

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January 31, 2020 at 4:18 PM

Morning Docket - The Army Corps of Engineers has become a rogue agency

The Hill: The Army Corps of Engineers has become a rogue agency In World War II, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers played a proud role in the Allied victory over totalitarian aggression in Europe and the Pacific theater by building bridges, clearing beaches and harbors, and creatin…

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January 24, 2020 at 4:19 PM

Morning Docket - “Seize this House” – New video parody showcases the problem of home equity theft in Michigan

This Supreme Court case could decide if government scholarships can be used for religious schools Few people would argue that parents shouldn’t be able to decide how and where to educate their children. But the State of Montana did just that when it overturned a tax-credit that gav…

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January 17, 2020 at 4:20 PM

Morning Docket - Federal lawsuit aims to protect private ranch property and a unique way of life

Musician sues over Houston’s ban on busking Tony Barilla is an accomplished accordionist who wishes to busk—that is, play in public for tips—in the streets of Houston. But Houston bans performing for tips in most of the city. And in the few blocks where performing for tips is allo…

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January 10, 2020 at 4:21 PM

Morning Docket - With 5G arriving, the Supreme Court needs to rule on what digital privacy means

Indiana Supreme Court’s decision on Lake Michigan beach access is unconstitutional. Here’s why. Randy and Kimberley Pavlock built their small family home along the Lake Michigan shoreline in Porter, Indiana, with their own hands, on private beachfront property that’s been in the f…

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January 3, 2020 at 4:35 PM

Morning Docket - Unnecessary enemies: Why we defend coastal land rights

Unnecessary enemies: Why we defend coastal land rights For many Americans, the cornerstone of “the American dream” is the possibility to someday own a slice of a beach paradise. But when it comes to beaches—or any land along our coasts—government agencies have declared open season…

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December 20, 2019 at 4:33 PM

Morning Docket - Freelance journalists sue over California’s new contracting law

The Hill: Call the midwife—but not if you live in Georgia Debbie Pulley is a midwife, but if she told you that, the Georgia Board of Nursing would fine her $500. That’s because the board has barred the use of the title “midwife” by anyone who doesn’t hold a nursing license—even p…

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December 13, 2019 at 4:04 PM

Morning Docket - Some politicians are trying to take away nonprofit donors’ First Amendment right to privacy

Midwife files lawsuit over Georgia’s censorship of her profession From the time she began attending births in 1970, Debbie Pulley has become one of the most qualified midwives in Georgia. But according to the state Board of Nursing, Debbie can’t call herself a midwife unless she …

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December 6, 2019 at 5:18 PM

Morning Docket - Can Kanye West solve L.A.’s housing crisis? Not if city bureaucrats have their way

Can Kanye West solve L.A.’s housing crisis? Not if city bureaucrats have their way This past summer, the well-known performer, Kanye West, began work on a new low-income housing community in Los Angeles—on his own property and on his own dime—to address the city’s affordable housi…

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November 29, 2019 at 4:18 PM

Morning Docket - What we’re thankful for...

What we’re thankful for… Each year, Pacific Legal Foundation represents hundreds of Americans free of charge when government stymies their ability to improve their lives. We give them their day in court to vindicate their rights and set a lasting precedent to protect every American.…

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November 22, 2019 at 5:17 PM

Morning Docket - Cities shouldn’t be able to dictate who landlords can rent to

CNN HLN: “Woman quota” faces pushback. Should companies be forced to hire women? CNN’s HLN network interviewed Anastasia Boden to discuss PLF’s lawsuit challenging California’s “woman quota” for the boards of publicly traded companies. Anastasia not only set the record straight a…

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November 15, 2019 at 3:20 PM

Morning Docket - Fighting California’s discriminatory woman quota law

Fighting California’s discriminatory woman quota law On Wednesday, PLF filed a federal lawsuit challenging California’s first-in-the-nation requirement that publicly traded companies have a certain number of women on their boards of directors. Companies failing to comply face fines…

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November 8, 2019 at 4:19 PM

Morning Docket - A Michigan man underpaid his property taxes by $8.41. The county seized his property, sold it—and kept the profits

The Hill: Free speech rights don’t stop at the voting booth Free speech may be one of our nation’s bedrock civil liberties under the First Amendment, but some states appear to have decided it has no place in the voting booth. Erin Wilcox tells us why Texas—with its stringent poll…

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November 1, 2019 at 3:19 PM

Morning Docket - Trick-or-treating bans violate the First Amendment

Trick-or-treating bans violate the First Amendment What is the scariest thing about Halloween? How about the possibility that trick-or-treaters out after 8 p.m., or teenagers trick-or-treating at any time, can be thrown in jail? Unfortunately, as Daniel Ortner explains, that nigh…

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October 25, 2019 at 3:09 PM

Morning Docket - Supreme Court will take on ‘fourth branch’ of bureaucracies

Congress, not presidential proclamation, should establish national parks This summer, the National Park Service (NPS) celebrated its 103rd anniversary. The NPS, the leading agency responsible for maintaining national parks and monuments, remains popular among the general public.  …

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October 18, 2019 at 3:04 PM

Morning Docket - PRESENTING: Sword&Scales

To Our Readers: If you enjoy the content in Morning Docket, we would like to introduce you to PLF’s quarterly magazine, Sword&Scales. Every edition of Sword&Scales contains original articles from PLF attorneys and leading national experts. For two years, PLF has published a…

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October 11, 2019 at 3:17 PM

Morning Docket - PLF clients invited to watch President sign executive orders, bringing accountability to federal agencies

PLF clients invited to watch President sign executive orders, bringing accountability to federal agencies Over the years, many PLF clients have encountered governmental abuse under the cover of federal rules that never properly went on the books. On Wednesday, President Donald Trum…

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October 4, 2019 at 3:19 PM

Morning Docket - New California law threatens to kill the gig economy

New California law threatens to kill the gig economy California Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed into law a bill that will make all independent contractors in the state, mainly drivers for ride-share companies like Uber and Lyft, into statutory employees. This means that as of Ja…

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September 27, 2019 at 3:19 PM

Morning Docket - The American Dream shouldn’t require a Certificate of Need

The American Dream shouldn’t require a Certificate of Need The American Dream, at its core, is about the freedom to compete. As an entrepreneur, PLF’s newest client, Phillip Truesdell, understands that freedom well. Unfortunately, Phillip also understands the pain when government-s…

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September 20, 2019 at 3:19 PM

Morning Docket - Why do we still celebrate Constitution Day?

The Hill: Arizona’s property tax law abuse must end Jim Boerner, a disabled veteran in Mesa, Arizona, recently landed in the headlines after losing his home over $236 in unpaid property taxes. When Jim tried to pay his tax debt, he was given wrong information and therefore failed …

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September 13, 2019 at 3:21 PM

Morning Docket - The confusing world of government censorship

The Hill: California workers have constitutional rights—even if unions think they don’t matter Last summer, the Supreme Court held in Janus v. American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, Local 31 that public employees cannot be forced to pay agency fees. Under t…

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September 6, 2019 at 3:19 PM

Morning Docket - The Takings Clause protects you against government theft

Yes, the First Amendment protects speech on personalized license plates Calling the California DMV’s logic “nonsensical,” a federal court handed PLF client Jon Kotler an important preliminary victory in his case and for free speech.   Jon sued after the DMV denied his application f…

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August 30, 2019 at 3:18 PM

Morning Docket - Teaching universities about free speech

Teaching universities about free speech The University of Texas at Austin has enacted several campus speech restrictions that border on the absurd: Students are prohibited from saying or writing anything allegedly “biased, offensive, or harassing.” Students can potentially face dis…

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August 23, 2019 at 3:20 PM

Morning Docket - Video game bans are unconstitutional, and they won’t prevent violent crimes

States can’t prevent American Indian artists from truthfully marketing their art This March, Peggy Fontenot, an award-winning artist, vindicated her right to truthfully market her art as “American Indian-made” in Oklahoma. Because the Patawomeck Tribe is recognized by the State of …

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August 16, 2019 at 3:20 PM

Morning Docket - Freedom of speech means freedom not to speak, too

PLF petitions prompt major improvements to Endangered Species Act On Monday, the Department of the Interior announced the most significant gain for property rights under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in decades. Prompted by two PLF petitions, the feds reformed an ESA rule to a…

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August 9, 2019 at 3:16 PM

Morning Docket - Seattle can’t ignore the state constitution for a “wealth tax

Seattle can’t ignore the state constitution for a “wealth tax In many respects, Washington is a good place to live. It’s one of the few states in the nation where residents pay zero state income tax, and the state constitution boasts strong protections for taxpayers. But even cons…

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August 2, 2019 at 3:22 PM

Morning Docket - When the Supreme Court is right to overturn precedent

You have a right to know your rights For six years, Mike Jackson was forced to pay approximately $600 a year to the Teamsters union. Mike—an employee at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD)—doesn’t agree with the union, doesn’t want to support it, and doesn’t think he re…

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July 26, 2019 at 4:12 PM

Morning Docket - How quickly does legal precedent take effect?

How quickly does legal precedent take effect? The legal system may seem ponderous at times, especially in the months—and sometimes years—waiting for a case to reach the Supreme Court. But a Supreme Court decision can have widespread effects in the legal system within a matter of …

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July 19, 2019 at 3:24 PM

Morning Docket - PLF Senate Testimony: Congress must rein in unconstitutional bureaucratic rulemaking

PLF Senate Testimony: Congress must rein in unconstitutional bureaucratic rulemaking Earlier this year, Pacific Legal Foundation published a first-of-its-kind study that found that over the past 17 years, the Department of Health and Human Services issued a majority of its rules un…

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