The Citizen Action Defense Fund is on the front lines of numerous legal battles involving key questions of constitutional rights and free-market, limited government policies.
Active Cases
- Doriot v. Inslee. A constitutional challenge to legislation which, if successful, could significantly lower the cost of fuel and driver’s license fees.
- Padden v. State. Lawsuit filed challenging delegation by WA legislature of rulemaking authority to an un-elected board in California, which resulted in the ban of gas-powered cars.
- CADF v. Inslee. CADF prevailed in litigation against the Governor’s Office of Financial Management for withholding documents from billion-dollar negotiations with public sector unions. Attorney’s fees, costs, and penalties were awarded.
- CADF et al. v. State Building Code Council. Sued in federal court to block or delay restrictions to natural gas infrastructure that would have harmed businesses and homeowners in Washington state.
- unDivided Media v. City of Seattle. Public records suit filed in state court to obtain records regarding a Councilmember’s public safety vote.
- Smith v. WSDOT. Defending whistleblower who was forced out of his job after he was pressured to lie about impacts of cap and trade on fuel costs.
Amicus Briefs
- Quinn v. State. Brief filed in the U.S. Supreme Court on the capital gains income tax case with some key business groups. The brief demonstrated the negative impacts of the unconstitutional tax on businesses.
- Gonzales v. State. Brief filed in state supreme court at the request of and in partnership with the Appellant, the Washington Business Property Association. This case involves a challenge to Governor Inslee’s COVID executive orders, which suspended evictions under the Landlord Tenant Act.
- PRSM v. Bainbridge. CADF was joined by the Building Industry Association of Washington and the Washington Business Property Association in an amicus brief outlining unconstitutional local construction regulations that limit building near water.
- Yim v. Seattle. CADF was joined by the Washington Business Property Association in filing an amicus brief in support of an appeal from 9th Circuit, holding that right to exclude is not a fundamental right under the 14th amendment.
- Sheetz v. County of El Dorado. CADF filed a brief in the U.S. Supreme Court in support of a challenge to an unconstitutional permit fee.
- Jevons v. Inslee. CADF filed a brief U.S. Supreme Court in support of a challenge to unconstitutional local regulations that suspended evictions.