Prisoners' Rights
Jensen v. Thornell
UPDATE: In a thorough and sweeping injunction issued on April 7, 2023, U.S. District Judge Roslyn O. Silver is requiring the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation, and Reentry (“ADCRR”) to make “substantial” changes to staffing and conditions so that medical care and mental healthcare at Arizona prisons comes up to constitutional standards.
Status: Closed (Judgment)
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Featured
Sep 2022
![An illustration featuring a historic photo incarcerated people at Angola next to a modern image of incarcerated people at Angola. The outline of Louisiana is superimposed.](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2020/08/600x600_Wordpress.jpg)
Alex A. v. Edwards
The ACLU National Prison Project and partner civil rights attorneys filed a federal class-action lawsuit to prevent the transfer of children in the custody of Louisiana's Office of Juvenile Justice to the Louisiana State Penitentiary, commonly known as Angola Prison.
Status: Ongoing
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Texas
Jul 2021
![Sanchez et al v. Dallas County Sheriff et al](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
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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Mississippi
Mar 2017
![Dockery v. Hall](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
Dockery v. Hall
The ACLU, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), the Law Offices of Elizabeth Alexander, and the law firm of Covington & Burling LLP, filed a petition for class certification and expert reports for a federal lawsuit on behalf of prisoners at the East Mississippi Correctional Facility (EMCF). The lawsuit, which was filed in May 2013, describes the for-profit prison as hyper-violent, grotesquely filthy and dangerous. EMCF is operated "in a perpetual state of crisis" where prisoners are at "grave risk of death and loss of limbs." The facility, located in Meridian, Mississippi, is supposed to provide intensive treatment to the state's prisoners with serious psychiatric disabilities, many of whom are locked down in long-term solitary confinement.
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All Cases
59 Prisoners' Rights Cases
U.S. Supreme Court
Jan 2022
![Carmack v. Janny et al](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
Carmack v. Janny et al
The American Civil Liberties Union, along with Americans United for the Separation of Church and State and Colorado law firm DLA Piper, represent Mark Janny, an atheist whose religious-freedom rights were violated by his parole officer when Janny was sent to jail after refusing to take part in worship and religious activities.
Status: Closed (Dismissed)
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![Carmack v. Janny et al](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
U.S. Supreme Court
Prisoners' Rights
+2 Issues
Carmack v. Janny et al
The American Civil Liberties Union, along with Americans United for the Separation of Church and State and Colorado law firm DLA Piper, represent Mark Janny, an atheist whose religious-freedom rights were violated by his parole officer when Janny was sent to jail after refusing to take part in worship and religious activities.
Jan 2022
Status: Closed (Dismissed)
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Florida
Sep 2021
![Barnett v. Tony](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
Barnett v. Tony
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.
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![Barnett v. Tony](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
Florida
Prisoners' Rights
Criminal Law Reform
Barnett v. Tony
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.
Sep 2021
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Apr 2020
![McMenamin V. Souza](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
McMenamin V. Souza
On April 1, 2020, the ACLU National Prison Project, ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project, and ACLU of Massachusetts, Immigrants’ Rights and Human Trafficking Program Boston University School of Law, Demissie & Church, and Graves & Doyle filed McMenamin v. Souza et al in the District of Massachusetts on behalf of immigrants detained at the Bristol County House of Correction.
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![McMenamin V. Souza](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
Prisoners' Rights
McMenamin V. Souza
On April 1, 2020, the ACLU National Prison Project, ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project, and ACLU of Massachusetts, Immigrants’ Rights and Human Trafficking Program Boston University School of Law, Demissie & Church, and Graves & Doyle filed McMenamin v. Souza et al in the District of Massachusetts on behalf of immigrants detained at the Bristol County House of Correction.
Apr 2020
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Apr 2020
![Zelaya V. Archambeault](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
Zelaya V. Archambeault
On April 3, 2020, the ACLU National Prison Project, ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project, ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties, and the ACLU Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender & HIV Project filed Zelaya et al v. Archambeault et al in the Southern District of California on behalf of immigrants detained at the Otay Mesa Detention Center and Imperial Regional Detention Facility in California.
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![Zelaya V. Archambeault](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
Prisoners' Rights
Zelaya V. Archambeault
On April 3, 2020, the ACLU National Prison Project, ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project, ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties, and the ACLU Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender & HIV Project filed Zelaya et al v. Archambeault et al in the Southern District of California on behalf of immigrants detained at the Otay Mesa Detention Center and Imperial Regional Detention Facility in California.
Apr 2020
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Apr 2020
![Albino-Martinez V. Adducci](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
Albino-Martinez V. Adducci
On April 7, 2020, the ACLU National Prison Project, ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project, and ACLU of Michigan filed Albino-Martinez et al v. Adducci et al in the Eastern District of Michigan on behalf of immigrants detained at the Monroe County Jail and the St. Clair County Jail in Michigan.
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![Albino-Martinez V. Adducci](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
Prisoners' Rights
Albino-Martinez V. Adducci
On April 7, 2020, the ACLU National Prison Project, ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project, and ACLU of Michigan filed Albino-Martinez et al v. Adducci et al in the Eastern District of Michigan on behalf of immigrants detained at the Monroe County Jail and the St. Clair County Jail in Michigan.
Apr 2020
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