Florida Justice Institute Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
FLORIDA JUSTICE INSTITUTE, INC. IS A NONPROFIT CORPORATION THAT USES IMPACT LITIGATION AND ADVOCACY TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF FLORIDA'S POOR AND DISENFRANCHISED RESIDENTS, WHILE FOCUSING ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM, HOMELESSNESS & POVERTY, DISABILITY ACCESS, AND OTHER CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUES. THE ORGANIZATION'S ACTIVITIES ARE PRINCIPALLY FUNDED THROUGH GRANTS, DONATIONS, AND ATTORNEYS' FEES AWARDED THROUGH LITIGATION OR SETTLEMENT.
- Income
- $1.9 million
- Spending
- $1.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 68%
- Reserves
- 25.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 51%
- Employees
- 8
- Highest pay
- $157,095, attorney
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 96 out of 100. Higher than 89% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 25.3 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 18% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 6% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 221% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1568% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 25 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2510 of 10 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $1.2 million spent. WE FILED AND SETTLED A LAWSUIT AGAINST ST. JOHNS COUNTY THAT CRIMINALIZED REQUESTING ASSISTANCE, RESULTING IN THE COUNTY REPEALING THE ORDINANCE. WE FILED, HAVE BEEN LITIGATING, OUR CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT ON BEHALF OF INCARCERATED PEOPLE AT A SOUTH FLORIDA PRISON OVER THE SWELTERING HEAT AND HUMIDITY, SEEKING TO IMPROVE THE CONDITIONS SO THAT THEY DONT POSE A RISK OF MEDICAL HARM TO PEOPLE INCARCERATED THERE. WE SETTLED OUR LAWSUIT AGAINST LAKE CITY, RESULTING IN THE REPEAL OF THEIR PANHANDLING BAN, THEREBY ALLOWING OUR CLIENT TO DISTRIBUTE NEWSPAPERS AT INTERSECTIONS. WE URGED THE PASSAGE OF THE TRISTIN MURPHY ACT, WHICH CREATES MENTAL HEALTH DIVERSION PROGRAMS IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND CAME AT THE HEELS OF OUR LAWSUIT REPRESENTING MR. MURPHYS MOTHER; THE ACT SUCCESSFULLY PASSED. WE FILED A FEDERAL LAWSUIT AGAINST THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS ON BEHALF OF AN INCARCERATED MAN WITH A DISABILITY AFTER THE FDC SOUGHT AND ENFORCED AT 500K LIEN AGAINST HIM, TAKING THE PROCEEDS OF A PREVIOUS CIVIL RIGHTS SETTLEMENT. WE FILED OBJECTIONS TO A PROPOSED LEGAL MAIL RULE THAT WOULD MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR ATTORNEYS TO COMMUNICATE WITH INCARCERATED PEOPLE IN FLORIDA. WE FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE CITY OF MIAMI OVER THEIR AGGRESSIVE PANHANDLING BAN, RESULTING IN THE REPEAL OF THE ORDINANCE AND AVOIDING HUNDREDS OF NEEDLESS ARRESTS. WE FILED A LAWSUIT CHALLENGING HILLSBOROUGH COUNTYS PANHANDLING BAN, RESULTING IN THE REPEAL OF THE ORDINANCE. WE LITIGATED AND SETTLED A LAWSUIT ON BEHALF OF INCARCERATED WOMEN WHO HAD BEEN SUBJECTED TO SEXUAL ABUSE. WE CONTINUED MONITORING OUR DISABILITY RIGHTS SETTLEMENT WITH THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, WHICH HELPS APPROXIMATELY 15,000 TO 20,000 PEOPLE IN PRISON WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES BY ENSURING THEY GET THE ACCOMMODATIONS THEY NEED TO LIVE WITH DIGNITY, INDEPENDENCE, AND SAFETY. WE CONTINUED ADVOCATING FOR THE DOZENS OF INDIVIDUALS WHO CONTACTED US FOR ASSISTANCE. WE FILED AND SETTLED A LAWSUIT AGAINST ST. JOHNS COUNTY THAT CRIMINALIZED REQUESTING ASSISTANCE, RESULTING IN THE COUNTY REPEALING THE ORDINANCE. WE FILED, HAVE BEEN LITIGATING, OUR CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT ON BEHALF OF INCARCERATED PEOPLE AT A SOUTH FLORIDA PRISON OVER THE SWELTERING HEAT AND HUMIDITY, SEEKING TO IMPROVE THE CONDITIONS SO THAT THEY DONT POSE A RISK OF MEDICAL HARM TO PEOPLE INCARCERATED THERE. WE SETTLED OUR LAWSUIT AGAINST LAKE CITY, RESULTING IN THE REPEAL OF THEIR PANHANDLING BAN, THEREBY ALLOWING OUR CLIENT TO DISTRIBUTE NEWSPAPERS AT INTERSECTIONS. WE URGED THE PASSAGE OF THE TRISTIN MURPHY ACT, WHICH CREATES MENTAL HEALTH DIVERSION PROGRAMS IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND CAME AT THE HEELS OF OUR LAWSUIT REPRESENTING MR. MURPHYS MOTHER; THE ACT SUCCESSFULLY PASSED. WE FILED A FEDERAL LAWSUIT AGAINST THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS ON BEHALF OF AN INCARCERATED MAN WITH A DISABILITY AFTER THE FDC SOUGHT AND ENFORCED AT 500K LIEN AGAINST HIM, TAKING THE PROCEEDS OF A PREVIOUS CIVIL RIGHTS SETTLEMENT. WE FILED OBJECTIONS TO A PROPOSED LEGAL MAIL RULE THAT WOULD MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR ATTORNEYS TO COMMUNICATE WITH INCARCERATED PEOPLE IN FLORIDA. WE FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE CITY OF MIAMI OVER THEIR AGGRESSIVE PANHANDLING BAN, RESULTING IN THE REPEAL OF THE ORDINANCE AND AVOIDING HUNDREDS OF NEEDLESS ARRESTS. WE FILED A LAWSUIT CHALLENGING HILLSBOROUGH COUNTYS PANHANDLING BAN, RESULTING IN THE REPEAL OF THE ORDINANCE. WE LITIGATED AND SETTLED A LAWSUIT ON BEHALF OF INCARCERATED WOMEN WHO HAD BEEN SUBJECTED TO SEXUAL ABUSE. WE CONTINUED MONITORING OUR DISABILITY RIGHTS SETTLEMENT WITH THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, WHICH HELPS APPROXIMATELY 15,000 TO 20,000 PEOPLE IN PRISON WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES BY ENSURING THEY GET THE ACCOMMODATIONS THEY NEED TO LIVE WITH DIGNITY, INDEPENDENCE, AND SAFETY. WE CONTINUED ADVOCATING FOR THE DOZENS OF INDIVIDUALS WHO CONTACTED US FOR ASSISTANCE.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending September 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since October 1982.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.
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