News & Alerts

Tuesday, March 3, 2020
First Floor Capitol Rotunda
12:30 P.M.

Special Address by

James R. Mason
HSLDA Vice President of Litigation and Development

Jim is an attorney and litigator who has helped HSLDA win
a number of landmark cases establishing and protecting homeschool freedom.

Since joining HSLDA to lead the litigation team in 2001, Jim has represented homeschooling families in a wide range of challenging situations and has set precedents that have expanded freedom for the homeschool community. Under Jim’s leadership, HSLDA’s 4th Amendment litigation work has changed the way three states (North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and New Mexico) approach social services investigations. In Wilson v. Russo, HSLDA won a $700,000 settlement for our client,
a single parent whose children were seized by a rogue child protective services investigator.

Jim was instrumental in litigating the 2008 California case Jonathan L., in which a state appellate court reversed its previous ruling that homeschooling was illegal. This put an end to years of controversy over the legal status of homeschooling in California and set a precedent that affects other states as well.

In addition to serving as HSLDA’s Vice President of Litigation and Development and penning many of the most popular articles in HSLDA’s Home School Court Report magazine, Jim serves as the president of ParentalRights.org.
Before coming to HSLDA, Jim represented numerous right-to-life groups in campaign finance cases and clerked for an appellate court in Oregon. He graduated with highest honors from Regent University School of Law in 1996.
Jim is a veteran of the U.S. Navy and served on active duty in Operation Desert Storm.

Jim and his wife Debbie live in Winchester, Virginia. They have seven children and one granddaughter.
The Masons have homeschooled all of their children: six have graduated and one is still being taught at home.
In his spare time, Jim is an avid birdwatcher, waffle connoisseur, and abstract art fan.