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 […]
Michael J. Langley Named New Executive Director
Florida Justice Institute is pleased to announce Michael J. Langley as their new Executive Director. He comes to FJI after most recently serving as Director of Social Impact & Racial Equity Advancement Project at Greater Phoenix Leadership, a consortium of Arizona’s most influential business CEOs focusing on quality-of-life issues since 1974, and as Racial Equity […]
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 […]
Mr. Murillo’s Story
Although people are sent to prison as punishment for a crime, as human beings they are still entitled to adequate medical care. In addition to being the morally right thing to do, it improves the chances that they can rejoin society ready to make positive changes in the world. Unfortunately, in Florida prisons, the medical […]
FJI was able to help Lucy get a wheelchair and give her peace of mind.
We want to share with you a story of one of the individuals we were able to help through our case helping incarcerated people with physical disabilities. Meet Lucy*. Lucy – 74 – lived her whole life serving others as a registered nurse. She developed painful arthritis that left her with chronic pain and in […]
FJI helps Elmer Williams receive Compassion Release and other resources
Elmer was a 32-year-old father when he was sentenced to 40 years in prison for a nonviolent burglary. Now 56-years-old, he has advanced prostate cancer and only six months to live. Having successfully gotten conditional medical release for Elmer, Florida Justice Institute was able to help him get the medical support he needed upon his […]
FJI goes to trial
Last week, FJI attorneys went to court to stop the criminalization of poverty in our communities. Trials in two separate cases took place last week on whether panhandling ordinances violate the First Amendment, or whether cities can needlessly arrest people for requesting donations. In McDonald v. Pompano Beach, we originally challenged an ordinance which imposed […]
Florida Department of Corrections Pays $350,000 to Family of Incarcerated Man Brutally Murdered at Dade Correctional Institution
The family of Anthony Vidal, who was brutally murdered while incarcerated at Dade Correctional Institution (Dade CI), has settled a civil rights lawsuit against the Florida Department of Corrections and other individual officers for $350,000. The family was represented by the Florida Justice Institute (FJI), a nonprofit law firm dedicated to safeguarding civil rights in […]
Three Brevard County Residents To Attend First Brevard County Commission Meeting Fully Open to the Public Following Amendment to Sex Offender Ordinance
The doors to the Brevard County Government Center are finally open to all. On May 17, 2022, Vincent Rinaldi, Charles Munsey Jr., and Charles Violi—plaintiffs in a lawsuit challenging a Brevard County Ordinance that prohibited them from entering the County government building—will be allowed to attend a Brevard County commission meeting for the first time […]
Lawsuit Challenges Palm Beach County Ordinance that makes it a Crime for People to Solicit for Charitable Contributions or Business along any Road.
MARCH 3, 2022, WEST PALM BEACH – Yesterday, the Florida Justice Institute (FJI), with West Palm Beach attorney Sabarish Neelakanta, filed a lawsuit against Palm Beach County seeking to invalidate a County ordinance that makes it a crime for people to solicit for charitable contributions or business along any road. The ordinance also criminalizes displaying […]