Mississippi Justice Institute

Lawsuit challenges state's censorship of free speech on weight loss

Giving someone weight loss advice, ideas for healthy recipes, and grocery list recommendations can land you in jail for six months with fines totaling $1,000, according to the Mississippi Department of Health.  

Defending eyebrow threader's right to earn an honest living

A graduate student at Ole Miss was pursuing the American dream. Then the state shut her down. She is fighting back for her right to thread eyebrows in Mississippi. 

Challenging Jackson's ban on free speech outside abortion clinics

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The city of Jackson has passed an ordinance that prevents individuals from engaging in free speech outside of an abortion clinic in the city. Sidewalk Advocates for Life – Jackson, Mississippi are fighting back.

Supreme Court sides with MJI in charter school lawsuit

The Mississippi Supreme Court has upheld the funding of public charter schools, preserving the schools that have served as a lifeline for hundreds of Mississippi children in a few short years. MJI intervened on behalf of charter school families. 

New regulations expand emergency telemedicine in Mississippi 

On May 9, 2019, the Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure adopted a new proposed rule that will expand telemedicine services in the state by allowing additional providers to offer telemedicine in the emergency room. 

Companies can continue to sell "veggie" burgers in Mississippi

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New regulations will allow vegan or vegetarian companies to continue using meat-related terms on their labels. This came after MJI partnered with Institute for Justice on a First Amendment lawsuit. 

MJI files amicus in support of Mississippi tech startup

The Mississippi Justice Institute filed an amicus brief in defense of Vizaline LLC, a Mississippi tech startup that the government wants to put out of business. MJI is urging the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to reverse a wrongful dismissal of the Mississippi company’s lawsuit against the government.

MJI wins open meetings case in Lauderdale County

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The Mississippi Justice Institute won another Open Meetings Act case, this time in Lauderdale County Chancery court. The case was filed on behalf of Tommy Williams, a Lauderdale County resident, who challenged the Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors for violating open meetings laws.

Tupelo backs away from food truck regulations after MJI letter

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After a great deal of debate and discussion, the new food truck regulations in Tupelo do not include the controversial, and potentially illegal, restrictions that some on the council had floated. After the initial regulations were discussed, the Mississippi Justice Institute warned the city of a potential lawsuit. 

MJI wins open meetings complaint in Natchez

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The Mississippi Ethics Commission has found that the mayor and the alderman in the city of Natchez violated Mississippi’s Open Meetings Act when they entered into executive session to discuss proposals for garbage collection and recycling services.

Mississippi Supreme Court sides with MJI in open meetings case

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The Mississippi Supreme Court ruled that the Mayor and City Council of Columbus violated the Open Meetings Act when they previously met in prearranged, non-quorum size gatherings to discuss public business, intending to circumvent the Act. This is the first time the Supreme Court has ever addressed the issue of whether meetings of public officials in less than quorum numbers violate the Open Meetings Act.

MJI-supported plaintiff wins First Amendment case at SCOTUS

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The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the plaintiff in an important First Amendment case, Minnesota Voters Alliance v. Mansky. Mississippi Justice Institute Director Shadrack White  filed an amicus brief in the case in favor of the plaintiff.