State Watch

Pacific Legal Foundation California 8/10 ?

Court lets surf school’s First Amendment challenge ride

Helina Beck has been trying to teach surf lessons on California's public beaches for years. On Tuesday, a federal court said her fight can continue, denying California's motion to dismiss her case and...

Pacific Legal Foundation California 8/10 ?

Thoroughbred racehorse trainer filed a lawsuit in federal court to vindicate his Seventh Amendment rights

Horse training is in Phil Serpe's blood. He grew up volunteering at the Meadowlands Sports Complex and walking horses after school—and he has worked in the horse racing industry for almost 50 years, w...

Pacific Legal Foundation California 8/10 ?

The evolution of home equity theft: from Rafaeli to Pung

On February 25, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Pung v. Isabella County, the latest legal challenge to the practice of home equity theft to reach the high court.Pacific Legal Founda...

Pacific Legal Foundation California 8/10 ?

What can we expect as Pung heads to SCOTUS? Tyler’s oral arguments offer clues

On Wednesday, PLF heads back to the Supreme Court to continue the fight against home equity theft and protect property owners' right to just compensation.Pung v. Isabella County began with a disputed ...

Pacific Legal Foundation California 8/10 ?

SEC strikes again, targeting a municipal securities advisor through unconstitutional agency hearings

This week, Matthias O'Meara and Choice Advisors, LLC filed an appeal with the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, seeking restoration of their right to be heard by an independent judge and jury.O'Meara fo...

Pacific Legal Foundation California 8/10 ?

A full and perfect equivalent: Just compensation and the Fifth Amendment

In the autumn of 2025, the Supreme Court granted certiorari in the first case since the 1980s to address the amount of "just compensation" the government is required by the Constitution to provide whe...

Pacific Legal Foundation California 8/10 ?

Increased access to Certified Nurse Midwives improves maternal and prenatal health

For Hope Lindstrom, the question of where and how to give birth is deeply personal.As a devout Christian and licensed pastor, she views childbirth as a sacred experience—one that centers her as an act...

Pacific Legal Foundation California 8/10 ?

Mr. Beast v. the bald eagle

During a recent appearance on The Tonight Show, YouTube legend Mr. Beast told host Jimmy Fallon about the time a bald eagle derailed the filming of one of his videos. The majestic bird did not disrupt...

Pacific Legal Foundation California 8/10 ?

American Heroes: Fighting for Homeowners’ Rights with Christina Martin

At Pacific Legal Foundation, we're leading the charge against home equity theft—a practice where local governments seize far more than what a property owner owes in taxes. Few fight as passionately as...

Pacific Legal Foundation California 8/10 ?

Withâ€ŻChevronâ€Żgone, states must finish the job on judicial deference

Across the country, a quiet but important shift is underway in how courts review administrative agency decisions. Nineteen states have ended judicial deference to administrative agencies (including Ka...

Pacific Legal Foundation California 8/10 ?

Notice & Comment: Regulation by Adjudication Gives Agencies Maximum Flexibility in Wielding Their Powers

An e-cigarette manufacturer follows an arduous set of standards to get its market applications approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The company completes the process as outlined, but th...

Pacific Legal Foundation California 8/10 ?

Ohio entrepreneur seeks Supreme Court ruling on right to share information

When Mike Yoder started flying drones, he wasn't trying to make a statement. He was trying to solve a problem common among hunters in his area: Game sometimes runs off after being shot, and hunters ha...

Pacific Legal Foundation California 8/10 ?

How a case from 1606 answers an upcoming Supreme Court question about just compensation

In 1606, Britain was in a state of perpetual defense. The nearly 20-year Anglo-Spanish war had finally ended two years prior, and the Crown was eager to rebuild his now-depleted resources. If the war ...

Pacific Legal Foundation California 8/10 ?

Agri-Pulse: USDA’s court system is unconstitutional

We Americans love to have our day in court. We go to court to challenge speeding tickets. We use the accountability of personal injury lawsuits to help ensure that businesses are acting responsibly. W...

Pacific Legal Foundation California 8/10 ?

Experienced architect targeted by Nevada’s State Board of Architecture for allegedly practicing without a license

Last week, Pacific Legal Foundation filed a reply brief with the Nevada Supreme Court on behalf of Jeffrey Hagen—an experienced architect based in Sacramento, California.After alleging that he practic...

Pacific Legal Foundation California 8/10 ?

Michigan family fights for just compensation at the Supreme Court

Mike Pung's life has been shaped by two driving forces: devotion to family and a refusal to back down from bullies. For over 15 years, those guiding principles have carried him through a drawn-out leg...

Pacific Legal Foundation California 8/10 ?

Home equity thieves still lurk in the shadows. Michigan is the biggest culprit.

Oakland County, Michigan, stole Uri Rafaeli's financial assets in 2014. Three years earlier, Rafaeli had purchased a $60,000 rental property. He paid his taxes in 2012 and 2013, but he mistakenly had ...

Pacific Legal Foundation California 8/10 ?

CON Quarterly: Happy New Year

Welcome to the first CON Quarterly in 2026â€”Happy New Year, Readers.As a reminder, in markets where the governmentâ€Żrequiresâ€Ża certificate of need or CON, those who wish to offer a new service or ...

Pacific Legal Foundation California 8/10 ?

Federal court hears case challenging state-sanctioned trespassing in New Mexico

Historically, New Mexico protected property owners' right to restrict public access to their private land, including streambeds. But a 2022 New Mexico Supreme Court opinion gutted that right, allowing...

Pacific Legal Foundation California 8/10 ?

From Austin to Pung: Defining the Excessive Fines Clause in the modern era

Drawing on centuries of warnings, the Framers included the Excessive Fines Clause in the Bill of Rights to protect individuals from unrestrained governments wielding monetary penalties that are wildly...

California (917)