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ACLU Urges Supreme Court to Reaffirm Legal Limits of Police Search and Seizure Powers (02/22/2006)
WASHINGTON -- In a case being argued today before the Supreme Court, the American Civil Liberties Union urged the Justices to reject an appeals court ruling allowing police to search parolees on the public streets without any reason to suspect wrongdoing.

Round Two Begins in Legal Fight to Force Feds to Honor States’ Medical Marijuana Laws (01/31/2006)
SAN JOSE, CA – The city of Santa Cruz, California and a collective of Santa Cruz medical marijuana patients today asked a federal court to approve the city’s plan to provide medical marijuana directly to patients. The American Civil Liberties Union, Bingham McCutchen LLP, the Drug Policy Alliance and others filed legal documents setting out new claims based on an ordinance recently enacted by the Santa Cruz City Council that establishes the provision of medical marijuana as an official city government function. The legal papers were filed in County of Santa Cruz v. Gonzales.

Medical Marijuana Patients Serve San Diego Supervisors a Taste of their Own Medicine (01/24/2006)
SAN DIEGO - The American Civil Liberties Union, Americans for Safe Access (ASA) and the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) announced today that they would intervene in the San Diego County Board of Supervisors’ federal lawsuit seeking to overturn California’s Compassionate Use Act.

ACLU and Sentencing Experts Urge Federal Court to Uphold Judges’ Right to Reject 100-to-1 Crack/Powder Ratio (01/20/2006)
SAN FRANCISCO – The American Civil Liberties Union joined a group of renowned criminal law and sentencing experts in filing a friend-of-the-court brief today in a case concerning the right of judges to depart from the controversial 100-to-1 crack/powder cocaine sentencing disparity imposed by Congress. The case, U.S. v. Starks, is being argued in the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.

New Report Challenges Rhode Island Drunk Driving Statistics (01/09/2006)
PROVIDENCE, RI -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island today released a 35-page report that challenges recent highly publicized claims about Rhode Island's high alcohol fatality accident rate and the accompanying push for punitive drunk driving legislation at the State House this year. The report was released at a news conference today at which the ACLU and the Drug and Alcohol Treatment Association of Rhode Island (DATA) called for an emphasis on treatment and other non-punitive measures to address the problem of drunk driving.

ACLU Announces Defense of Indians Targeted in Meth Sting Operation (11/21/2005)
ROME, GA - In collaboration with the local community and a national South Asian organization, the American Civil Liberties Union today announced its defense of three convenience store owners and workers of Indian descent arrested for selling common household items that can be used in the production of methamphetamine. The ACLU promised a thorough investigation into claims that law enforcement selectively targeted the Indian community based on national origin and race.

Nation's First Government Office to Provide Medical Marijuana Directly to Patients Established by Santa Cruz, CA City Council (11/08/2005)
SANTA CRUZ, CA - The nation's first-ever government office tasked with providing medical marijuana directly to patients will likely be established today by the Santa Cruz City Council, the American Civil Liberties Union said. The action is designed to test states' constitutional right to opt out of enforcing the federal government's medical marijuana prohibition scheme.

ACLU and Students Challenge Drug Sweep at Maryland High School (11/03/2005)
BALTIMORE -- Two Kent County families and the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland today filed a lawsuit challenging a warrantless, investigative drug sweep at Kent County High School, during which drug-sniffing dogs were deployed. The lawsuit charges police and school officials with violating students' rights by seizing and searching their bags and subjecting them to humiliating bodily searches without just cause.

ACLU Joins Lawsuit Challenging Raids of Concerts and Violation of Free Speech (09/26/2005)
SALT LAKE CITY -- The American Civil Liberties Union announced today that it would join a lawsuit challenging law enforcement raids of electronic music concerts. The suit charges local law enforcement engaged in widespread violations of the constitutional rights of concert promoters and venue owners during electronic music concerts on July 16 and August 20.

ACLU Challenges Burbank Policy of Pursuing Prosecutions of Innocent Medical Marijuana Patients (09/22/2005)
BURBANK, CA - Confronted with the prospect of a jury trial set to begin next week, a Burbank city attorney today dropped charges against medical marijuana patient Valerie Corral. The American Civil Liberties Union, which represents Corral, was poised to challenge Burbank's illegal policy of pursuing prosecutions against medical marijuana patients known to be innocent. Despite having dropped the charges against Corral, the city attorney continues to insist that she is guilty and has refused to order police to return her seized medical marijuana.