Civil Liberties
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U.S. Supreme Court
May 2020
![Supreme Court](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2019/10/web19-supremecourtwinter-1110x740-600x400.jpg)
Trump v. Vance
Whether President Trump should comply with a grandy jury subpoena and hand over his personal finance documents.
Status: Closed (Judgment)
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All Cases
9 Civil Liberties Cases
Pennsylvania Supreme Court
May 2024
![Penncrest School District v. Cagle](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
Penncrest School District v. Cagle
This case in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court asks whether the Right to Know Law (“RTKL”), 65 P.S. §§ 67.101 – 67.3104, requires the disclosure of school board members’ social media posts on their private Facebook accounts relating to the propriety of a display of certain books in the school library. This case is among one of the first state supreme court cases addressing whether Facebook posts constitute records. The ACLU’s State Supreme Court Initiative, alongside the ACLU of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania attorney Brian Cagle, filed a brief arguing that RTKL’s text and structure require the conclusion that posts are “records,” and thus are subject to disclosure.
Status: Ongoing
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![Penncrest School District v. Cagle](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
Pennsylvania Supreme Court
Civil Liberties
Penncrest School District v. Cagle
This case in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court asks whether the Right to Know Law (“RTKL”), 65 P.S. §§ 67.101 – 67.3104, requires the disclosure of school board members’ social media posts on their private Facebook accounts relating to the propriety of a display of certain books in the school library. This case is among one of the first state supreme court cases addressing whether Facebook posts constitute records. The ACLU’s State Supreme Court Initiative, alongside the ACLU of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania attorney Brian Cagle, filed a brief arguing that RTKL’s text and structure require the conclusion that posts are “records,” and thus are subject to disclosure.
May 2024
Status: Ongoing
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Utah Supreme Court
Nov 2023
![Barrani v. Salt Lake City](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
Barrani v. Salt Lake City
Hundreds if not thousands of Salt Lake City, Utah, residents have nowhere safe to stay and must live and sleep in public. This case—brought by a small group of residents and businesses—involves the question whether this citywide homelessness crisis constitutes a nuisance under Utah state law. It also presents the question whether Salt Lake City can be ordered to clear encampments, forcibly relocate people who are unhoused, and enforce vague and overbroad laws criminalizing homelessness where doing so will likely, if not certainly, violate unhoused people’s state and federal constitutional rights. The ACLU’s State Supreme Court Initiative and Trone Center for Justice and Equality, along with the ACLU of Utah and the Salt Lake Legal Defenders Association, represent amici curiae in the trial court who oppose the plaintiffs’ nuisance claims and their request for relief.
Status: Closed (Dismissed)
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![Barrani v. Salt Lake City](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
Utah Supreme Court
Civil Liberties
Human Rights
Barrani v. Salt Lake City
Hundreds if not thousands of Salt Lake City, Utah, residents have nowhere safe to stay and must live and sleep in public. This case—brought by a small group of residents and businesses—involves the question whether this citywide homelessness crisis constitutes a nuisance under Utah state law. It also presents the question whether Salt Lake City can be ordered to clear encampments, forcibly relocate people who are unhoused, and enforce vague and overbroad laws criminalizing homelessness where doing so will likely, if not certainly, violate unhoused people’s state and federal constitutional rights. The ACLU’s State Supreme Court Initiative and Trone Center for Justice and Equality, along with the ACLU of Utah and the Salt Lake Legal Defenders Association, represent amici curiae in the trial court who oppose the plaintiffs’ nuisance claims and their request for relief.
Nov 2023
Status: Closed (Dismissed)
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Kentucky Supreme Court
Jun 2023
![ARKK Properties v. Cameron](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
ARKK Properties v. Cameron
In 2023, the Kentucky General Assembly passed a new law that targets only those Kentuckians who “challenge the constitutionality” of a state statute or similar law and seek relief against a state defendant in state court. Under S.B. 126, any party to a covered lawsuit will have a unilateral right to require transfer of the case from the circuit court where it was properly filed to a randomly chosen circuit anywhere else in the state, potentially hundreds of miles away and at great cost to Kentuckians who stand up for their rights. The ACLU of Kentucky, the Kentucky Equal Justice Center, and the Kentucky Resources Council—with representation from attorneys at the ACLU of Kentucky and the ACLU’s State Supreme Court Initiative—filed an amicus brief in the Kentucky Supreme Court, asking the Court to hold that the law violates the Kentucky Constitution. In October, the Kentucky Supreme Court invalidated S.B. 126, ruling in favor of the ACLU.
Status: Closed
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![ARKK Properties v. Cameron](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
Kentucky Supreme Court
Civil Liberties
Free Speech
ARKK Properties v. Cameron
In 2023, the Kentucky General Assembly passed a new law that targets only those Kentuckians who “challenge the constitutionality” of a state statute or similar law and seek relief against a state defendant in state court. Under S.B. 126, any party to a covered lawsuit will have a unilateral right to require transfer of the case from the circuit court where it was properly filed to a randomly chosen circuit anywhere else in the state, potentially hundreds of miles away and at great cost to Kentuckians who stand up for their rights. The ACLU of Kentucky, the Kentucky Equal Justice Center, and the Kentucky Resources Council—with representation from attorneys at the ACLU of Kentucky and the ACLU’s State Supreme Court Initiative—filed an amicus brief in the Kentucky Supreme Court, asking the Court to hold that the law violates the Kentucky Constitution. In October, the Kentucky Supreme Court invalidated S.B. 126, ruling in favor of the ACLU.
Jun 2023
Status: Closed
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Virginia
Feb 2023
![Vlaming v. West Point School District](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
Vlaming v. West Point School District
In September of 2019, Peter Vlaming, a French teacher at West Point High School, refused to address a transgender boy in his class with he/him pronouns. Instead, the teacher avoided using pronouns when addressing the student, while continuing to use gendered pronouns when addressing everyone else. After several warnings, the school district told the teacher he needed to address the student with male pronouns (the same way he addressed other boys) or he would be fired. The teacher refused; the school district fired him, and Vlaming, represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom, filed a suit in state court arguing that the school district violated his free speech and free exercise rights under the Virginia Constitution and Virginia’s RFRA.
Status: Closed
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![Vlaming v. West Point School District](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
Virginia
Civil Liberties
+2 Issues
Vlaming v. West Point School District
In September of 2019, Peter Vlaming, a French teacher at West Point High School, refused to address a transgender boy in his class with he/him pronouns. Instead, the teacher avoided using pronouns when addressing the student, while continuing to use gendered pronouns when addressing everyone else. After several warnings, the school district told the teacher he needed to address the student with male pronouns (the same way he addressed other boys) or he would be fired. The teacher refused; the school district fired him, and Vlaming, represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom, filed a suit in state court arguing that the school district violated his free speech and free exercise rights under the Virginia Constitution and Virginia’s RFRA.
Feb 2023
Status: Closed
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U.S. Supreme Court
Feb 2023
![Immigrant rights advocates gather at the White House.](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2022/02/AP22045637071466-600x400.jpg)
United States v. Helaman Hansen
This case is about whether the First Amendment permits criminal punishment of speech that merely encourages a noncitizen to remain in the United States, without any requirement of intent to further illegal conduct, and when remaining in the United States unlawfully is itself not a crime.
Status: Closed (Judgment)
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![Immigrant rights advocates gather at the White House.](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2022/02/AP22045637071466-600x400.jpg)
U.S. Supreme Court
Civil Liberties
Free Speech
United States v. Helaman Hansen
This case is about whether the First Amendment permits criminal punishment of speech that merely encourages a noncitizen to remain in the United States, without any requirement of intent to further illegal conduct, and when remaining in the United States unlawfully is itself not a crime.
Feb 2023
Status: Closed (Judgment)
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