What We Do
FJI is committed to achieving social justice through our dedicated litigation and advocacy efforts in criminal justice reform, housing & poverty, and disability access.
What does FJI Do?
At FJI, we are civil rights attorneys who work to achieve lasting change for disenfranchised and underinvested Floridians through strategic, creative, and client-centered litigation.
Through a combination of class-action and individual cases, FJI aims to leverage our resources to end systems of oppression and improve living conditions so that change continues well beyond our victories in the courtroom.
THE THREE PRONGS OF FJI’S WORK
Human Rights in the Justice System
FJI initiates cases aimed at reforming Florida’s worst criminal justice policies. The cases we bring encompass efforts to improve prison conditions, prevent abuse, mitigate violence, achieve disability accommodations, protect free speech, address dangerous understaffing and overcrowding, and outlaw solitary confinement.
Additionally, FJI advocates for cash bail reform and other policies that would ease the burden on families supporting incarcerated loved ones.
March 6, 2025 March 6, 2025; MIAMI/TALLAHASSEE, FL. The Florida Justice Institute (FJI), a nonprofit civil rights organization, expresses its […]
By KATE PAYNE | November 1, 2024Associated Press TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — It was the hottest September in more than […]
By Elena Barrera | October 31, 2024Tallahassee Democrat A new lawsuit is aiming for a big chill. After what was […]
By Minnah Arshad | October 31, 2024USA Today Stifling heat at a Miami-area concrete prison without air conditioning contributed to […]
By Ashley Miznazi | October 31, 2024Miami Herald South Florida temperatures soared to record highs over the last few summers — […]
Empowerment for Vulnerable Populations
FJI spearheads legal challenges to laws that criminalize poverty and unfairly target people experiencing homelessness, advocating for increased funding for affordable housing and access to proper treatment.
Additionally, FJI takes on cases representing victims of housing discrimination, ensuring their rights are upheld and justice is served.
November 25, 2024 Following FJI’s lawsuit against a Lake City ordinance that prohibited standing, soliciting, or leafletting at certain intersections, […]
September 9, 2024 FJI has reached a settlement with Columbia County, resolving its lawsuit against the ordinance which prohibited solicitation […]
Following a bench trial, the District Court issued a final order in McDonald v. Pompano Beach, FJI’s long-running case against […]
The Florida Justice Institute has filed a lawsuit against the City of Lake City over ordinance that restricts requests for […]
Dignity for Individuals with a Disability
FJI also initiates litigation aimed at compelling governments and businesses to maintain accessible facilities, thereby guaranteeing that individuals with disabilities receive the necessary accommodations to lead lives of dignity and respect.
We want to share with you a story of one of the individuals we were able to help through our […]
HANNAH CRITCHFIELD – Aging and seniors reporter Published Dec. 2 Here’s what that means for the state’s aging incarcerated population. Change […]
November 10, 2021, TALLAHASSEE Disability Rights Florida, the state’s designated Protection and Advocacy system for individuals with disabilities, has reached […]