Criminal Law Reform
Featured
Arizona
Oct 2023
Fund for Empowerment v. Phoenix, City of
Fund for Empowerment is a challenge to the City of Phoenix’s practice of conducting sweeps of encampments without notice, issuing citations to unsheltered people for camping and sleeping on public property when they have no place else to go, and confiscating and destroying their property without notice or process.
Status: Ongoing
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U.S. Supreme Court
Sep 2023
McElrath v. Georgia
Does the Double Jeopardy Clause bar an appellate court from reviewing and setting aside a jury’s verdicts of acquittal on the ground that the verdict is inconsistent with the jury’s verdict on other charges?
Status: Ongoing
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U.S. Supreme Court
Jun 2023
Pulsifer v. United States
This case involves the interpretation of a federal law that allows defendants to avoid mandatory minimum sentences for certain nonviolent drug crimes, allowing judges to impose sentences tailored to their individual circumstances.
Status: Ongoing
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Texas
Jul 2021
Sanchez et al v. Dallas County Sheriff et al
Decarceration has always been an emergency, a life and death proposition, but COVID-19 makes this effort intensely urgent. The ACLU has been working with our partners to litigate for the rights of those who are incarcerated and cannot protect themselves because of the policies of the institutions in which they are jailed.
Status: Ongoing
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All Cases
130 Criminal Law Reform Cases
U.S. Supreme Court
Jun 2016
Birchfield v. North Dakota
Whether states may criminalize a driver’s refusal to consent to a warrantless blood, breath or urine test for alcohol after a drunk driving arrest.
Status: Closed (Judgment)
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U.S. Supreme Court
Criminal Law Reform
Birchfield v. North Dakota
Whether states may criminalize a driver’s refusal to consent to a warrantless blood, breath or urine test for alcohol after a drunk driving arrest.
Jun 2016
Status: Closed (Judgment)
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Northern California
Apr 2016
Phillips v. State of California
The ACLU of Northern California, in partnership with ACLU National’s Criminal Law Reform Project and the firm Paul Hastings LLP, have filed a lawsuit against California, Governor Brown, and Fresno County seeking a writ of mandate and injunctive and declaratory relief to fix the county’s failing public defense system—which is supposed to provide a rigorous legal defense to people who are accused of crimes in Fresno and cannot afford to hire their own lawyer.
Status: Ongoing
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Northern California
Criminal Law Reform
Phillips v. State of California
The ACLU of Northern California, in partnership with ACLU National’s Criminal Law Reform Project and the firm Paul Hastings LLP, have filed a lawsuit against California, Governor Brown, and Fresno County seeking a writ of mandate and injunctive and declaratory relief to fix the county’s failing public defense system—which is supposed to provide a rigorous legal defense to people who are accused of crimes in Fresno and cannot afford to hire their own lawyer.
Apr 2016
Status: Ongoing
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Mar 2016
Winston v. Salt Lake City Police Department, et al.
The Salt Lake City Police Department and the Salt Lake City School District will make broad changes in how they treat students of color and engage in school disciplinary issues under settlements announced today by the ACLU.
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Criminal Law Reform
+4 Issues
Winston v. Salt Lake City Police Department, et al.
The Salt Lake City Police Department and the Salt Lake City School District will make broad changes in how they treat students of color and engage in school disciplinary issues under settlements announced today by the ACLU.
Mar 2016
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U.S. Supreme Court
Feb 2016
Simmons v. Himmelreich
Whether a tort action against the federal government that is dismissed for reasons unrelated to the merits bars a subsequent action for the same tort against the responsible employee.
Status: Closed (Judgment)
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U.S. Supreme Court
Criminal Law Reform
Simmons v. Himmelreich
Whether a tort action against the federal government that is dismissed for reasons unrelated to the merits bars a subsequent action for the same tort against the responsible employee.
Feb 2016
Status: Closed (Judgment)
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U.S. Supreme Court
Feb 2016
Utah v. Strieff
Whether the prosecution may use evidence seized after an arrest on an outstanding warrant that was only discovered after an unconstitutional stop.
Status: Closed (Judgment)
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U.S. Supreme Court
Criminal Law Reform
Racial Justice
Utah v. Strieff
Whether the prosecution may use evidence seized after an arrest on an outstanding warrant that was only discovered after an unconstitutional stop.
Feb 2016
Status: Closed (Judgment)
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