The Buckeye Institute joined the Institute for Justice (IJ) in filing an amicus brief with the Ohio Supreme Court in Havel v. Board of Zoning Appeals, Kent, Ohio, calling on the court to protect property owners and strike down Kent’s unconstitutional zoning restrictions. In their brief, The Buckeye Institute and IJ cite numerous cases, including Norwood v. Horney, to argue that private property rights are fundamental rights and interference with those rights must receive meaningful scrutiny from Ohio courts.

“Ohio workers and families have much to celebrate,” writes The Buckeye Institute in Crain’s Cleveland Business. “Despite the state and national unemployment rate climbing, the state’s economy continues to rise and overcome broader challenges by embracing new technologies and attracting new and growing firms. Policymakers have pursued pro-growth energy and tax reforms that make Ohio more attractive to employers and more rewarding to employees. More work remains to be done, but Ohio is still at the heart of it all.”
 

The Buckeye Institute filed an amicus brief in National Republican Senatorial Committee v. Federal Election Commission (NRSC v. FEC), calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Federal Election Commission v. Colorado Republican Federal Campaign Committee (Colorado II) and end the government’s harmful and unnecessary limits on free speech. In its brief, The Buckeye Institute argues that coordinated expenditures between political parties and candidates pose no particular threat of corruption, thus, the FEC’s blanket restriction on coordination is an excessive limit on free speech.

The Buckeye Institute joined the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL) in filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in Gilliam v. Gerregano, calling on the court to hear the case to clarify the scope of the “government speech doctrine” and end government censorship of vanity license plates. “This case exemplifies the government speech doctrine’s potential for abuse and overreach and underscores the urgent need for the high court to clarify its scope.”

The Buckeye Institute filed an amicus brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to quash a New Jersey attorney general’s subpoena demanding First Choice Women’s Resource Centers turn over the private and constitutionally protected information of its donors. The Buckeye Institute argues “the issuance of this subpoena—even if it is ultimately quashed—severely chills First Amendment rights because individuals will now fear that their charitable contributions to organizations engaged in controversial issues will be subjected to…possible…retaliation.”

The Buckeye Institute filed its third amicus brief with the Ohio Supreme Court in Bowling v. DeWine, urging the court to hear the case (again) and affirm that Ohio’s Cooperation Statute does not require the governor to accept federal money every time it is offered. “By hearing Bowling v. DeWine again, the Ohio Supreme Court has the opportunity to make clear Ohio’s Cooperation Statute does not require the governor to accept every federal dollar offered.”

The Buckeye Institute won another legal victory, this time for Beth Queen, a science teacher in Poland, Ohio, and Buckeye’s client in Queen v. NEA. Immediately after The Buckeye Institute filed the case, the Ohio Education Association agreed to settle the dispute to Ms. Queen’s satisfaction. “With this settlement, the OEA properly recognized Ms. Queen’s claims and avoided costly and protracted litigation for all involved.”

The Buckeye Institute commented on the newly released jobs report from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, saying, “In a concerning sign, Ohio’s unemployment rate increased to five percent in July, and the labor force participation rate fell to 62.6 percent, indicating that Ohioans looking for work are not finding jobs. While the national job market is still performing better than Ohio’s, July’s national jobs report also saw a climbing unemployment rate and falling labor force participation rate.” 

Legend holds that the Gordian Knot was so intricately woven that for centuries no one could untie it. Tired of trying, Alexander the Great drew his sword and cut it. His reward was eternal glory. Today, Ohio homeowners and policymakers struggle with their own Gordian Knot of sorts — the state’s complex system of local government, public services, and escalating property taxes. The expensive tangle prevents young families from purchasing homes and threatens many fixed-income seniors with losing theirs.

Due to The Buckeye Institute’s unrelenting defense of the U.S. and Ohio constitutions, the Champaign County Agriculture Society Board has rescinded its unconstitutional policy that banned firearms on county fairgrounds. Buckeye’s efforts to overturn this constitutional violation started in January 2025 and culminated in a victory for all those visiting the county fairgrounds. “This victory is for all those visiting the county fairgrounds who can now freely exercise their constitutional rights while enjoying a uniquely American tradition.”