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November 2015

Big News: We’ve hired two new associate attorneys

By |2016-12-05T17:51:42-08:00November 3rd, 2015|Categories: About, Fundraising, Info, News|Tags: , |

We couldn't wait any longer to expand our legal team and right now we have an opportunity to permanently fund two new attorney positions. In October we brought on two new staff attorneys, who have both been working with us as law clerks for years.

October 2015

Federal case addresses trauma as a disability under Americans with Disabilities Act

By |2015-10-15T13:34:00-07:00October 15th, 2015|Categories: Articles, Info|Tags: |

Last week, in P.P. v. Compton Unified School District, a federal court in Southern California held that a case may move forward alleging that trauma impacts from poverty and racism qualify as a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The plaintiffs in the case are multiple youth, and their teachers, who work or attend public schools in Compton, California. Compton is one of the most socio-economically distressed areas in the country, and it experiences attendant high rates of violent crime and homelessness. The youth in the Compton school district experience horrifying trauma in their daily lives, such as being stabbed or witnessing friends and family shot or stabbed in front of them, sleeping on top of the school cafeteria roof for months due to homelessness, and being arrested at gunpoint by police while at school in a case of mistaken identity.

September 2015

Federal appeals court allows trial against police who shot suicidal Texas youth

By |2015-09-29T17:40:50-07:00September 29th, 2015|Categories: Articles, Info|Tags: , |

Last week, in Cole v. Carson, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in Texas held that a teenager who was shot by police could take the police to court for federal civil rights violations. The teen had recently broken up with his girlfriend and had walked into the woods pointing a gun to his own head. He backed out of the woods with the gun still to his head and then turned to his left to continue walking and police officers opened fire on him.

Federal court affirms constitutional right to criticize police

By |2017-08-18T12:57:57-07:00September 23rd, 2015|Categories: Articles, Info|Tags: |

Last week, a federal court in New York affirmed the First Amendment right to criticize police using profane language. In the case, Barboza v. D’Agata, the federal court in the Southern District of New York addressed a case in which an individual received a speeding ticket in the town of Liberty, New York. He agreed to pay the ticket by mail, but first decided to make his feelings clear by crossing out the town’s name “Liberty” and writing “Tyranny” on the ticket, and then writing, in all capital letters, “FUCK YOUR SHITTY TOWN BITCHES.” He then sent in his payment with this special personalized message.

Federal courts affirm civil liberties in Washington D.C. and Michigan

By |2015-09-15T14:18:00-07:00September 15th, 2015|Categories: Articles, Info|Tags: , |

Last week, federal courts in Washington D.C. and Michigan issued orders affirming the civil liberties of deaf prisoners and suicidal individuals who call police for help during a mental health emergency. In Washington D.C., a federal court held that the Americans with Disabilities Act requires prisons to affirmatively provide appropriate communication services for deaf inmates. In Michigan, a federal court held that police officers ignored the protections of the 4th Amendment when they responded to a potentially suicidal individual by breaking windows and throwing tear gas canisters into his home, and ultimately shooting and killing him.

August 2015

DOJ challenges Idaho’s criminalization of homelessness

By |2015-08-21T10:30:23-07:00August 21st, 2015|Categories: Articles, Info|Tags: |

This month, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a statement of interest in a federal lawsuit challenging the City of Boise, Idaho’s ban on sleeping in public. The plaintiffs argue that bans on sleeping in public violate their constitutional rights because there is inadequate shelter space available in Boise to accommodate the City’s homeless population.

Youth rise up to address climate change

By |2019-05-16T18:24:15-07:00August 11th, 2015|Categories: Articles, Info, News|Tags: , , |

Last week, at the Next Generation Climate Justice Action Camp (NGCJAC), a diverse group of youth and adult organizers met in Southern Oregon to share tools and stories and prepare the next generation of climate justice organizers for the work that is to come.

May 2015

First Amendment victory in Pennsylvania

By |2016-12-05T18:09:52-08:00May 6th, 2015|Categories: Featured, Info, News|Tags: , |

Last week, a federal court in Pennsylvania struck down a state law aimed at restricting the free speech rights of prisoners. In Mumia Abu Jamal v. Kane, the court addressed a new state law in Pennsylvania called the “Revictimization Relief Act,” which attempted to stop accused or convicted criminals from publicly expressing viewpoints that might offend the alleged victims of their crimes. The court found the law unconstitutional because it had an unlawful purpose, was vaguely executed, and was patently overbroad in its scope.

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