Activist Defense
The CLDC represents activists that, in the course of fighting for a better world, are arrested and criminally charged. We believe their courage deserves the best possible defense that can incorporate the political, social, and philosophical motivations of these activists.
Civil Cases
The CLDC engages in civil litigation to hold the powerful accountable and to protect the rights of activists and marginalized communities. Our civil litigation is aimed at holding governments, corporations, and the powerful accountable when they violate the constitutional rights of others. The civil practice of the CLDC is shaped and driven by a desire to create a lasting impact.
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) for Activists
October 29, 2020
3:00 p.m. PT — 5:00 p.m. PT
Webinar--information provided upon registration
Learn how to use FOIA to better understand the inner workings of the U.S. government.
CLDC staff will provide tips to help you navigate the FOIA process and increase your likelihood of getting the information you’re looking for.
Election Debrief: The Road Ahead
November 5, 2020
3:00 p.m. PT — 5:00 p.m. PT
Webinar--information provided upon registration
As the 2020 election's dust settles, join us as we assess how the events of the next few days, months, and years will affect our rights and abilities to assert them.
Houseless Know Your Rights Training presented by CLDC with Remain Reclaim Rebuild
November 14, 2020
2:00 p.m. PT — 4:00 p.m. PT
Online
Join CLDC's Cooper Brinson for a Know Your Rights training for the houseless community covers diverse topics that specifically affect people living outside. Topics include and are not limited to sweeps, information about law enforcement and laws that affect camping, panhandling, vehicles, exclusion zones and sidewalk use.
CLDC Files Supreme Court Amicus Brief in Support of Florida Community Advocate SLAPPed by Mining Company
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 12, 2020 Contacts: Lauren Regan, CLDC Executive Director & Protect the [...]
Standing Rock Civil Rights Lawsuits Moving Forward After North Dakota Federal Court Rejects Defendants’ Dismissal Request
In June, CLDC gave you an update on the various civil rights cases that we [...]
Trump’s Push to Privatize the USPS is a Direct Threat to Democracy
My maternal grandfather was born in 1914 and served in the Army during World War [...]
CLDC Fighting Corporate-Fueled Legal Persecution of Human Rights Lawyer
Fossil fuel giant Chevron vows to “demonize” victorious human rights lawyer For several years now, [...]
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SUPPORTING THE STRUGGLE
The Civil Liberties Defense Center supports movements that seek to dismantle the political and economic structures at the root of social inequality and environmental destruction. We provide litigation, education, legal and strategic resources to strengthen and embolden their success.
CLDC educates, supports and defends grassroots activists nationwide. We are dedicated to being a backbone for the grassroots and the frontlines. We help activists navigate the legal system, we represent them at no cost when they are arrested and we help them make smart choices in the face of state repression. We provide the necessary legal support so that activists can have long, sustainable lifetimes fighting in the movement for justice.
We also provide Know Your Rights and other legal trainings for activists and other vulnerable groups such as youth, tribes, the houseless community and the undocumented community. We believe that knowledge is power, and when people have the tools and understanding to take action and demand that the government honor all their rights, then grassroots activism will be the best chance of exacting necessary change.