Daryl James is a writer at the Institute for Justice.
South Carolina County Ends Its Civil Forfeiture Blitz After 20 Years
It’s time for the rest of the state to stop illegal searches and seizures that enrich police departments.
Daryl James
Latest from Daryl James
Mississippi Says Medical Marijuana Is Legal—Just Don't Talk About It
The state legalized medical marijuana but banned dispensary owners from advertising. Now, one owner is taking the fight to the Supreme Court.
Families Need Affordable Housing, but New York Residents Use Red Tape To Block Development
With the help of New York’s environmental review law, local NIMBYs halted an approved housing project, adding to delays and costs in a city facing a housing shortage.
Doctor Fighting To Break Certificate of Need Barrier in North Carolina
The Institute for Justice partners with an independent eye doctor to challenge state regulations that protect hospital monopolies and restrict patient access.
Pit Stop Policing Transforms Traffic Violations Into High-Stakes Drug Hunts
South Carolina's Operation Rolling Thunder targets cash and contraband but harasses guilty and innocent travelers alike.
South Carolina Cops and Courts Rig the Game Against Drivers
An uneven playing field allows the aggressive tactics and legal loopholes that turn traffic stops into cash grabs.
Inside the Unchecked Bus Searches by South Carolina Police
Routine searches of commercial buses violate privacy, target low-income passengers, and result in widespread violations.
South Carolina Cops Target Out-of-State Drivers for Highway Robbery
No arrest necessary as South Carolina police hunt for cash
Operation Rolling Thunder: The Shocking Truth Behind Spartanburg's Traffic Stops
A 21-month legal battle unveils the dark side of South Carolina's annual traffic crackdown.
Zoning Police and NIMBYs Want To Keep People Homeless
Vineyard owners face $120,000 in fines for letting an employee and his family live on their 60-acre property without a permit.
Texas Voters Punish Lawmakers Who Oppose School Choice
Of the 21 Texas House Republicans who joined Democrats to kill school choice during the special sessions, only seven survived their primaries.
Florida Man's Tall Grass Saga Comes to an End
One man’s overgrown yard became a six-year struggle against overzealous code enforcement.
Mississippi Tethers Real Estate Agents to Outdated Rule
As remote work becomes the new normal, Mississippi's insistence on an archaic 50-mile radius for real estate supervision faces scrutiny.
Want To Challenge Your Speed Camera Ticket? That'll Be $100.
Only 536 people live in this Ohio town that issues 1,800 speeding tickets per month.
Tamale Police Lose Their Excuse To Restrict Homemade Meals
States that allow home chefs to sell perishable foods report no confirmed cases of relevant foodborne illness.
Minnesota Caretaker Gets Lifetime Ban for Crime She Didn't Commit
Even if background check applicants are guilty of wrongdoing, imposing lifetime bans on gainful employment is not a good policy.
Zoning Police Criminalize Kindness in Oregon
A town clamps down on distributing clothes, personal care items, and food to the homeless.
Doctors and Patients Strike Back Against Hospital Monopolies
South Carolina will now only require a certificate of need for long-term care facilities, opening the health care market to smaller providers.
A Home-Based Baker Shouldn't Have To Choose Between Her Dog and Her Business
Each state has different cottage food laws that don’t actually protect public health and safety.
Zoning Police Continue To Find New Ways To Punish the Poor
Multiple factors contribute to housing shortages, but zoning constraints are mostly to blame.
English Tests Are Just an Excuse To Block Immigrants From Licensed Professions
Why should the government care if massage therapists can speak English?
School Choice Faces a New Threat: Local Code Enforcers
Enemies of educational freedom are using inane regulations to target learning pods.
IRS Stole Money and Hid the Details for Years
As law enforcement agencies patrol for profit, the secrecy surrounding cash seizures must stop.
Snitches Get Riches From the FBI
Turning in your innocent friends and neighbors for having large amounts of cash is touted as a new source of income by the FBI.
Cops With Super Sniffers Fool No One Except the Judge
Iowa officers detect less than one gram of marijuana, 100 yards away, in a closed container in a moving car.
How Louisiana Perfected the Speed Trap
Want to fight your ticket? Welcome to mayor’s court, where your accuser is also your judge.
The Police Dog Who Cried Drugs at Every Traffic Stop
Cops laugh about “probable cause on four legs” but the damage to innocent lives is real.
Parents Who Opt Out of Public Schools Don't Deserve Smears From Teachers Unions
Union leaders shame parents, arguing that equity gaps will widen if parents pull their children out of public schools.
This Health Care Law Bars Competition And Drives Up Prices, Even as a Pandemic Rages
During COVID-19, many states have rolled back their “certificate of need” laws. Now is the time to abolish them.
