IJ-AZ filed its first lawsuit to prevent a family-owned brake shop from being taken by the city of Mesa for the purely private benefit of a developer coveting the land for a hardware store, and immediately earned the praise of the East Valley Tribune’s Bob Schuster, who wrote, “The [I]nstitute [for Justice] already has supplanted the American Civil Liberties Union . . . as the nation’s premier courtroom champion of individual freedom.”

IJ-AZ saved the brake shop and provided a landmark legal precedent protecting Arizonans from eminent domain abuse, which set the stage for the passage of the Arizona private property rights protection act. In the realm of education reform, IJ-AZ has defended every Arizona tax credit and voucher program and has won each school choice court battle to date. On top of all this, as a direct result of the chapter’s efforts, Arizona’s hairbraiding market is no longer closed off to individuals who want to practice the trade.

In addition to their legal victories, the Arizona chapter has had tremendous success in the court of public opinion. The saga of San Tan Flat, for instance, received national print, radio and TV coverage and was featured on Reason.tv.

In just seven years, IJ-AZ has launched nearly 20 cases and has secured victories in all of IJ’s four litigation pillars: protection of private property, First Amendment rights, school choice and the right to earn an honest living. The chapter is also proud to point out that an entire state agency-Arizona’s Structural Pest Control Commission-may sunset out of existence thanks to the Institute’s work in court and the media.

IJ-AZ’s staff of talented attorneys, along with a network of volunteer lawyers and like-minded policy organizations, has a bright future in store, continuing in their efforts to protect the legacy of liberty in the Grand Canyon State.