The Beacon Center has a team of litigators who fight for Tennesseans’ liberty day in and day out. We believe all Tennesseans – regardless of their means – have the right to pursue the American Dream. Therefore, we take up their legal cause at no cost to them when senseless government barriers stand in their way. We have successfully challenged state and local laws and regulations to restore Tennesseans’ economic liberty and property rights, and to eliminate government overreach in their lives.
Recent Success:
Property Rights — May 2023: The Court ruled that the city of Nashville cannot avoid constitutional protections for private property simply by taking individuals’ property through legislative action. This was an enormous win for our plaintiffs and a reminder to Nashville that it cannot force a small group of property owners to cover the cost of public works. We are thrilled not only for our plaintiffs but for all citizens living within the Sixth Circuit.
Educational Choice – November 2022: The three-judge panel hearing the legal challenge to the state’s new ESA program dismissed the plaintiffs’ remaining claims. As a result, families can now use the ESA program to access better educational choices for their children.
Right to Earn a Living – September 2022: The Tennessee Supreme Court sided with Beacon, Goldwater Institute, and Southeastern Legal Foundation in our joint amicus brief, allowing Violaine Panasci to practice law in Tennessee. The Board of Law Examiners originally denied her application because, despite being a successful, ethical attorney in New York who had achieved an exam score much higher than what Tennessee requires after earning a masters in law from Pace University in New York, her first law degree came from Canada.
Home Business Freedom – August 2022: The Tennessee Supreme Court agreed with Beacon and the Institute for Justice that our clients Lij and Pat, both home business owners, could continue to challenge Metro Nashville’s restriction on serving clients in their homes. Nashville has long had one of the most restrictive home-business bans in the nation.