CrowdJustice

CrowdJustice is a crowdfunding platform designed specifically for raising funds for legal cases by individuals, communities, or organizations. The platform employs a team of legal advisors who assess individual campaigns to ensure the engagement of a qualified lawyer. All of the funds raised by the organization are directed to the lawyer's client trust account. CrowdJustice states that they take on both private and public campaigns. Initially established in the United Kingdom in 2014, CrowdJustice extended its services to the United States in 2017, concurrently relocating its headquarters from London to New York City.{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/montymunford/2017/02/28/after-disrupting-brexit-crowdfunding-and-crowdjustice-come-to-the-us/|title=After Disrupting Brexit, Crowdfunding And CrowdJustice Come To The US|last=Munford|first=Monty|website=Forbes|language=en|access-date=2019-06-12}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/want-to-help-fight-legal-battles-theres-a-crowdfunding-site-for-that/2017/02/10/a7fcb7f2-ec90-11e6-b7e8-df81bd6c4c30_story.html|title=Want to help fight legal battles? There's a crowdfunding site for that.|last=Ross|first=Janell|date=February 11, 2017|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=June 12, 2019}}

Campaigns charge donors only if they reach a minimum funding threshold. In 2015, CrowdJustice announced a commission rate of 5% for the cases it supports. The company garnered $2 million in 2017 through a seed round of funding led by Venrock and First Round Capital, which facilitated its expansion into the U.S. market.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/may/25/crowdfunded-litigation-future-justice-crowdjustice|title=Is crowdfunded litigation the future of justice? {{!}} Joshua Rozenberg|last=Rozenberg|first=Joshua|date=2015-05-25|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-06-12|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite web|url=https://qz.com/902934/crowdfunding-for-public-interest-lawsuits-has-come-to-the-us-just-in-time-for-trumps-presidency/|title=Crowdfunding for public-interest lawsuits has come to the US, just in time for Trump's presidency|last=Kozlowska|first=Hanna|website=Quartz|date=5 February 2017 |language=en|access-date=2019-06-18}}{{Cite web|url=https://venturebeat.com/2017/05/30/crowdjustice-raises-2-million-to-crowdfund-social-justice/|title=CrowdJustice raises $2 million to crowdfund social justice|date=2017-05-30|website=VentureBeat|language=en-US|access-date=2019-06-12}}

Funded in 2015, Jengba (Joint Enterprise: Not Guilty by Association) raised £10,145 to intervene in a Supreme Court of the United Kingdom case on the law of joint enterprise in 2016.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/oct/21/lawyer-crowdsourcing-site-court-legal-support|title=Lawyer's crowdsourcing site aims to help people have their day in court {{!}} Mary O'Hara|last=O'Hara|first=Mary|date=2015-10-21|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-06-12|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}} It was also the first crowdfunded case brought before the UK Supreme Court.

In 2016, the “People’s Challenge” to Brexit campaign raised £170,550 with 4,918 pledges.{{Cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/supreme-court-brexit-case-judges-crowd-funding-only-happened-gina-miller-grahame-pigney-who-did-it-a7458431.html|title=The Supreme Court Brexit case only happened because of crowdfunding – and you won't have heard of the people who did it|date=2016-12-06|website=The Independent|language=en|access-date=2019-06-12}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/brexit-article-50-legal-challenge-crowdfund-defence-supreme-court-gina-miller-crowd-justice-2016-11|title=People have already crowdfunded over £75,000 to defend the Article 50 ruling in the Supreme Court|last=UK|first=Oscar Williams-Grut, Business Insider|website=Business Insider|access-date=2019-06-12}} Once funded, this campaign brought a successful legal challenge to Brexit in 2017 to the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom resulting in the court determining an act of Parliament was necessary to trigger any final action.{{Cite web|url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2017/10/crowdjustice-and-crowdfunding-lawsuits-in-the-trump-era.html|title=A New Way to Support Legal Challenges in the Trump Era: Crowdfunding Lawyers|last=Lithwick|first=Dahlia|date=2017-10-23|website=Slate Magazine|language=en|access-date=2019-06-12}}{{Cite web|url=https://qz.com/893370/brexit-supreme-court-case-britains-highest-court-has-made-leaving-the-eu-easier-and-keeping-the-uk-together-harder/|title=Britain's Supreme Court has made leaving the EU easier and keeping the UK together harder|last=Rathi|first=Akshat|website=Quartz|date=24 January 2017 |language=en|access-date=2019-06-12}}

In January 2017, the advocacy group Liberty launched a campaign to raise funds to challenge the Investigatory Powers Act in the High Court, raising more than £53,000 in a week.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-38565083|title=Surveillance powers legal challenge launched|date=2017-01-10|work=BBC News|access-date=2019-06-13|language=en-GB}} In April 2018, the High Court issued its ruling on the first part of the challenge, giving the government six months to rewrite core parts of the Act, which it found incompatible with EU law.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/apr/27/snoopers-charter-investigatory-powers-act-rewrite-high-court-rules|title=UK has six months to rewrite snooper's charter, high court rules|last=Cobain|first=Ian|date=2018-04-27|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-06-13|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}} Liberty's challenge to various parts of the Investigatory Powers Act is ongoing; in May 2018, they completed a second crowdfunded campaign to support their challenge.{{Cite web|url=https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/snooperscharterpart2/|title=The People vs the Snoopers' Charter: Part II|website=CrowdJustice|access-date=2019-06-13}}

In January 2018, the Centre for Women's Justice crowdfunded on behalf of two women who were raped and sexually assaulted by John Worboys for a judicial review against the Parole Board and the Secretary of State for Justice (SSJ) to challenge the decision to grant Worboys parole.{{Cite web|url=https://www.centreforwomensjustice.org.uk/news/2018/1/26/update-on-crowdjustice-why-was-john-worboys-granted-parole-his-victims-need-answers|title=Update on CrowdJustice: 'Why was John Worboys granted parole? His victims need answers.'|website=Centre for Women's Justice|date=26 January 2018 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-06-13}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.economist.com/britain/2018/11/24/crowdfunding-is-opening-up-britains-justice-system|title=Crowdfunding is opening up Britain's justice system|date=2018-11-24|newspaper=The Economist|access-date=2019-06-18|issn=0013-0613}} By November 2018, the Parole Board had reversed its decision, and Nick Hardwick, the parole board chair, was forced to resign.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/nov/19/john-worboys-must-stay-in-prison-says-parole-board|title=John Worboys must stay in prison, says Parole Board|last=Siddique|first=Haroon|date=2018-11-19|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-06-13|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}} The Centre for Women's Justice has gone on to crowdfund multiple cases on CrowdJustice. In June 2019, the Centre for Women's Justice launched two fundraising campaigns to bring two different judicial reviews against the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). In the first campaign, they are representing the End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW) to challenge alleged CPS covert policy changes that are blamed for a collapse in the number of rape cases going to court.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/law/2019/jun/10/cps-faces-challenge-over-covert-policy-change-on-cases|title=CPS faces challenge over 'covert policy change' on rape cases|last=correspondent|first=Owen Bowcott Legal affairs|date=2019-06-10|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-06-13|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/cps-sued-rape-court-cases-crown-prosecution-service-centre-womens-justice-a8951216.html|title=Women's organisations threaten to sue CPS for 'dropping rape cases without good reason'|date=2019-06-18|website=The Independent|language=en|access-date=2019-06-18}} In the second, on behalf of Emily Hunt, they challenged how the CPS regards voyeurism in private settings under the Sexual Offences Act 2003.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/law/article/no-prosecution-for-man-who-secretly-filmed-naked-woman-sleeping-k6wwh83n6|title=No prosecution for man who secretly filmed naked woman sleeping|last=Das|first=Shanti|date=2019-06-16|work=The Sunday Times|access-date=2019-06-16|language=en|issn=0956-1382}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/emily-hunt-sleeping-naked-woman-video-judicial-review-a8961906.html|title=Decision not to prosecute man who secretly filmed sleeping naked woman challenged|date=2019-06-17|website=The Independent|language=en|access-date=2019-06-18}}

The week CrowdJustice launched in the United States, the Legal Aid Justice Center (LAJC) created a campaign on behalf of green card holders Tareq Aqel Mohammed Aziz and Ammar Aqel Mohammed Aziz who were initially trapped at Dulles Airport due to a 2017 executive order. The Aziz brothers were in the air when the executive order went into effect and detained upon arrival. The LAJC filed suit in Virginia, independent from similar cases filed by the ACLU. Over a nine day period, the Aziz brothers were sent back to Ethiopia and then to Djibouti before being allowed to return and enter the United States.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/yemeni-brothers-center-immigration-lawsuit-finally-allowed-enter-u-s-n717281|title=Yemeni brothers at center of immigration lawsuit finally allowed to enter U.S.|website=NBC News|date=6 February 2017 |language=en|access-date=2019-06-12}}{{Cite web|url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2017/01/court-rulings-couldnt-protect-everyone-detained-because-of-trumps-immigration-order.html|title=On a Terrible Day in U.S. History, Officials at Dulles Airport Were Particularly Cruel|last=Lithwick|first=Dahlia|date=2017-01-29|website=Slate Magazine|language=en|access-date=2019-06-12}}

In September 2015, OneVirginia2021 filed a lawsuit asking to have 11 different Virginia House of Delegates and Senate districts be redrawn due to allegations of gerrymandering.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbc29.com/story/34587609/onevirginia2021-launches-crowdfunding-campaign-for-lawsuit|title=OneVirginia2021 Launches Crowdfunding Campaign for Lawsuit|website=www.nbc29.com|language=en|access-date=2019-06-13}} In February 2017, the non-profit organization started to crowdfund on CrowdJustice in order to raise $5,000 for the case. Ultimately, they raised $51,423 from 1,068 donors to support their lawsuit.{{Cite web|url=https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/virginiagerrymandering/|title=Redistricting Reform in Virginia|website=CrowdJustice|access-date=2019-06-13}} In May 2018, the Supreme Court of Virginia rejected the challenge to the state's 2011 redistricting process and found the districts to be constitutionally valid.{{Cite web|url=https://www.richmond.com/news/virginia/government-politics/virginia-supreme-court-upholds-challenged-state-legislative-districts/article_d192faf3-455d-572f-8a63-5e2e13b8a71c.html|title=Virginia Supreme Court upholds 11 challenged state legislative districts|last=Times-Dispatch|first=PATRICK WILSON Richmond|website=Richmond Times-Dispatch|date=31 May 2018 |language=en|access-date=2019-06-13}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.whsv.com/content/news/Virginia-court-rejects-challenge-to-11-legislative-districts-484183691.html|title=Virginia court rejects challenge to 11 legislative districts|last=Writer|first=DENISE LAVOIE, AP Legal Affairs|website=www.whsv.com|date=31 May 2018 |language=en|access-date=2019-06-13}}

The organization Equally American (formerly We the People Project) brought a lawsuit to challenge the prohibition on residents of U.S. territories voting in federal elections in February 2017.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/02/guam-territories-lawsuit-voting-rights/517881/|title=Crowdfunding a Century-Old Fight for Voting Rights|last=II|first=Vann R. Newkirk|date=2017-02-27|website=The Atlantic|language=en-US|access-date=2019-06-13}} This was the second U.S. case on CrowdJustice.{{Citation needed|date=September 2019}}

In March 2018, Stormy Daniels and her lawyer, Michael Avenatti, launched a campaign on CrowdJustice to raise funds for her legal case to invalidate a nondisclosure agreement she signed with Michael Cohen in October 2016.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-stormy-daniels-crowdfunding-lawsuit-851359|title=Stormy Daniels's crowdfunding campaign rakes in almost $250,000 in less than a week|last=EDT|first=Gillian Edevane On 3/19/18 at 11:32 AM|date=2018-03-19|website=Newsweek|language=en|access-date=2019-06-18}} The campaign raised $587,415 with 16,862 donors.{{Cite web|url=https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/stormy/|title=Clifford (aka Daniels) v. Trump et al.|website=CrowdJustice|access-date=2019-06-18}} In November 2018, Avenatti launched a second CrowdJustice campaign to raise additional funds for Daniels.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/michael-avenatti-and-stormy-daniels-launch-second-crowdfund|title=Michael Avenatti and Stormy Daniels Launch Second Crowdfund|last=Briquelet|first=Kate|date=2018-11-27|work=The Daily Beast|access-date=2019-06-18|language=en}} However, Daniels publicly stated that she did not authorize the campaign and CrowdJustice soon pulled it from their website.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/stormy-daniels-michael-avenatti-filed-defamation-case-against-trump-against-my-wishes|title=Stormy Daniels: Michael Avenatti Sued Trump For Defamation Against My Wishes|last=Briquelet|first=Betsy Woodruff{{!}}Kate|date=2018-11-28|work=The Daily Beast|access-date=2019-06-18|language=en}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/two-avenatti-fundraisers-under-review-after-stormy-daniels-claims|title=Two Avenatti Fundraisers Under Review After Stormy Claims|last=Woodruff|first=Kate Briquelet{{!}}Betsy|date=2018-11-29|work=The Daily Beast|access-date=2019-06-18|language=en}} CrowdJustice also launched an investigation into another campaign (to help families at the Mexican border) created by Avenatti. This campaign was not pulled from their website.{{Cite web|url=https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/stop-separating-families/|title=Stop Forcibly Separating Families at the Border|website=CrowdJustice|access-date=2019-06-18}}

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