NPRI to launch new litigation center

(NN&V Staff) – In the face of increasing governmental erosion of the fundamental rights of Nevada’s citizens, the Nevada Policy Research Institute today announced it has established a new public-interest law organization, called the Center for Justice and Constitutional Litigation, aimed at defending the rights of individuals as set forth in the state and federal constitutions.

The Center for Justice and Constitutional Litigation (CJCL) will litigate as a means to uphold the nation’s bedrock principles, including limited and ethical government, property rights, Second Amendment rights and the separation of powers.

“For far too long, victims of scofflaw government in Nevada have faced the unpalatable choice either of filing or defending a costly and time-consuming lawsuit to protect their rights, or living with the abuse,” said Sharon Rossie, president of NPRI. “NPRI’s Center for Justice and Constitutional Litigation will use the litigation process to provide citizens recourse pro bono when the government has violated their fundamental rights.”

NPRI also announced that Joe Becker, whom Rossie praised as “an experienced, accomplished and highly talented constitutional lawyer,” will facilitate the creation of the Center. Becker served previously as the chief legal counsel and policy director for Ron Paul’s 2008 Presidential Campaign Committee, and also practiced constitutional law with Mountain States Legal Foundation from 2001 until 2007. He earned his Juris Doctor cum laude from Northern Illinois University College of Law, and he holds an M.A. in Economics from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

“It will be an honor and a privilege to help usher in NPRI’s Center for Justice and Constitutional Litigation,” said Becker. “We look forward to providing assistance to those citizens in need of legal protection against governmental violations of their most fundamental individual rights.”

Nevadans are encouraged to visit the Center’s website, located at http://justice.npri.org/. Potential cases will be evaluated based on stringent criteria, including their ability to further the public interest and their potential to establish wide-reaching legal precedent. Strong consideration will be given to those potential cases arising under Nevada law or its constitution.

“Both the Bill of Rights and the Nevada Constitution provide substantial protections for individual liberty,” said Becker. “Unfortunately, increasingly intrusive governments have eroded many of these rights, especially in recent years.

“The principal goal of this Center will be to restore those fundamental rights on behalf of Nevada’s citizens.”