The Florida Justice Institute (FJI), a nonprofit civil rights litigation and advocacy organization, has reached a settlement with the City of Miami to resolve its lawsuit against the City challenging an Ordinance that prohibits requesting donations in large portions of the City, including most of the downtown area. Under the settlement, the City will repeal […]
Lawsuit Challenges Jacksonville’s Anti-Solicitation Ordinance as Unconstitutional
The Florida Justice Institute (FJI) and Pensacola attorney Benjamin Stevenson filed a lawsuit challenging a Jacksonville Ordinance that prohibits requesting and receiving donations in large swaths of the City. The Ordinance outlaws solicitation on all streets and sidewalks, and prohibits standing on medians and exchanging items with motorists along certain roadways. Although the Ordinance allows […]
After Trial, Federal Court Declares Remaining Fort Lauderdale Panhandling Ordinance Unconstitutional
U.S. District Court Judge Roy K. Altman released his post-trial findings, concluding that the one Fort Lauderdale panhandling ordinance remaining in the case was unconstitutional, and enjoined the City from enforcing it. The ordinance prohibited pedestrians from exchanging anything by hand with motorists and aimed at stopping people from requesting donations along roadways. Judge Altman […]
Court Grants Preliminary Injunction, Stopping Enforcement of Columbia County Ordinances Prohibiting Requests for Donations on Public Property
In a resounding victory for all homeless advocates, U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has granted FJI’s request and entered a preliminary injunction enjoining enforcement of two Columbia County Ordinances that prohibited solicitation and loitering on all County property with a building on it. The Court found that the ordinances likely violated the First Amendment […]
FJI Sues Columbia County, Seeking to End Ordinances Prohibiting Requests for Donations on Public Property
FJI has filed a lawsuit against Columbia County challenging a pair of County Ordinances that prohibit solicitation and loitering on all County property with a building on it. The Ordinances have the effect of prohibiting solicitors from the Homeless Voice newsletter from distributing newspapers and requesting donations in front of the County Courthouse and Administration […]
FJI Sues City of Miami, Seeking to End Anti-Panhandling Ordinance That Was Previously Declared Unconstitutional
FJI has filed a lawsuit against the City of Miami challenging a City Ordinance that prohibits requesting donations in large portions of the City, including most of the downtown area. Failure to comply is punishable by up to 30 days in jail. In the last year, nearly a dozen homeless people have been arrested or […]
FJI Objects to Proposed FDOC Rule That Would Burden Legal Mail with People in Prison.
Florida Justice Institute, together with other civil rights groups, have objected to a proposed FDOC legal mail rule that would make it more difficult for attorneys to communicate with incarcerated people. The proposed rule would impose extra burdens on lawyer, requiring them to visit a website and obtain a special code for every piece of […]
FJI Files Lawsuit for Family of Incarcerated Man Who Committed Suicide with Chainsaw
The Florida Justice Institute (FJI) has filed a lawsuit against the Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) for the family of a man with schizophrenia who committed suicide with a chainsaw while incarcerated at South Florida Reception Center, an FDC prison in Doral. Tristin Murphy had an initial evaluation during which he was actively psychotic and […]
A Message from Our Executive Director
Dear Friends, I’m writing with some exciting changes that are coming to Florida Justice Institute (FJI). After four a half years of serving as FJI’s Executive Director, it’s time for me to step into a new role. We will be creating a new position of Legal Director that I will assume, and FJI will begin […]
FJI Sues City of Hollywood, Seeking to End Anti-Panhandling Ordinances
May 3, 2023; HOLLYWOOD, FL. Yesterday, the Florida Justice Institute (FJI), in partnership with Fort Lauderdale lawyer Mara Shlackman, filed a lawsuit challenging three Hollywood anti-panhandling ordinances as unconstitutional restrictions of free speech. The ordinances require people soliciting donations to obtain a permit, impose various restrictions on panhandling—including outright banning it in certain areas—and prohibit […]
FJI condemns state-sanctioned violence against Black communities
We condemn the brutal murder of George Floyd and the countless other Black people who have been victims of police violence and racist oppression. As we deeply mourn their needless deaths, we recognize that they are only the most recent examples of a deeper current of racialized police brutality that pervades our law enforcement institutions. […]
Court Approves Preliminary Settlement in Class Action Lawsuit Against FDOC For Confiscation of Millions of Dollars of Digital Music
MIAMI/TALLAHASSEE/TAMPA BAY – Today, a federal judge preliminarily approved a settlement resolving a statewide class action lawsuit against the Florida Department of Corrections (FDOC) involving the confiscation of millions of dollars of lawfully purchased digital music from incarcerated people in Florida. The settlement requires the FDOC to provide 3.9 million credits for class members to […]
FJI Files Lawsuit Challenging Pompano Beach’s Anti-Panhandling Ordinance as Unconstitutional
Today, the Florida Justice Institute (FJI), in partnership with Fort Lauderdale lawyers Mara Shlackman and Frantz J. McLawrence, filed a lawsuit challenging the City of Pompano Beach’s anti-panhandling ordinance as an unconstitutional restriction of free speech. The Ordinance prohibits the solicitation of donations, business, or sales during certain times and at certain intersections, and otherwise […]
FJI Returns to Court to Enforce Brevard Jail Overcrowding Consent Decree
The Florida Justice Institute (FJI) has filed a Motion for Order to Show Cause to enforce a Consent Decree that prohibits overcrowding in the Brevard County Jail. The Decree requires the jail population to remain below a certain level, but in recent years the population has exceeded that level. FJI has been monitoring the Decree […]
FJI 2019 Year in Review
It’s been quite a year for FJI, and we want to thank you for all the support that has made our work possible. While we mourned the loss of our dear friend and founder, Randy Berg, we continue to celebrate his life by advancing the work that he started. Some of this year’s accomplishments include: We […]
FJI, Representing Disability Rights Florida, Sues Florida Department of Corrections for Breach of Settlement Agreement Protecting Incarcerated People with Disabilities
TALLAHASSEE, DECEMBER 4, 2019– Disability Rights Florida, Florida’s federally funded Protection and Advocacy organization for individuals with disabilities, has brought suit against the Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) over its systemic failure to comply with a settlement agreement signed by both parties in July 2017. DRF is represented by the Florida Justice Institute and Morgan […]
New Lawsuit Challenges Use of Solitary Confinement for Children in Florida
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. –Citing scientific, medical and mental health evidence likening solitary confinement to torture and demonstrating its dangers to the development and rehabilitation of children, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), Florida Legal Services (FLS), and the Florida Justice Institute (FJI) have filed a federal class action lawsuit against Florida’s Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) […]
After inmate ‘dragged like a ragdoll,’ lawmaker calls prison conditions ‘less than human’
In a video posted on Facebook, State Rep. Dianne Hart excoriated excessive heat, excessively short eating times, inadequate female hygiene materials and inmate treatment after spending Sunday at Lowell Correctional Institution, days after an inmate was brutally manhandled, leaving her gravely hurt. Hart’s been at Lowell several times before, but this is the first time […]