Litigation By Issue

ACLU Urges Changes to Oregon Death Penalty Procedures

August 2011 – The ACLU of Oregon has urged the Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) to make major changes in its procedures for carrying out the death penalty in order to lessen the risk of a botched execution in Oregon.

Latif, et al. v. Holder, et al.

ACLU Files Lawsuit Challenging Unconstitutional “No Fly List”

In June 2010, the ACLU and its affiliates in Oregon, Southern California, Northern California, and New Mexico filed a legal challenge on behalf of 10 U.S. citizens and permanent residents who cannot fly to or from the U.S. or over American airspace because they are on the government’s secretive No Fly List (an additional five people have since joined the suit). The plaintiffs, who include four U.S. military veterans, have never been told why they are on the list or given a reasonable opportunity to get off it. Being unable to fly has severely affected their lives, including their ability to be with their families, go to school, and travel for work.

Lewis et al. v. Forest Grove High School

High School Allows Students to Form Gay-Straight Alliance

July 13, 2009 - The ACLU represented Jessica Lewis and a number of her fellow students at Forest Grove High School, where they applied to form a Gay-Straight Alliance.

State v. Marquez-Marquez

ACLU Challenges Unfair Bail Forfeiture

July 13, 2009 - The ACLU is directly representing Maria Araujo as she seeks remission of a court order demanding that she pay her brother-in-law’s security deposit of $20,000.

Shepherd v. Oregon Youth Authority

Imprisoned Seventh Day Adventist Allowed to Attend Service

July 13, 2009 - Levi Shepherd is a Seventh Day Adventist inmate of MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility, which is administered by the Oregon Youth Authority (OYA). As a Seventh Day Adventist, Mr. Shepherd wants to attend religious services on Saturdays, his Sabbath.OYA does not provide Seventh Day Adventist clergy or services.

Hadland v. City of Sweet Home

ACLU Challenges Impoundment of Man's SUV for Someone Else's Driving

July 13, 2009 - The ACLU is representing Wayne Hadland in his suit against the City of Sweet Home to get relief from the improper impoundment of his vehicle.

Cohen et al. v. Brown

ACLU Challenges Petition to Grant “Paramount” Right of Life to Unborn

Supporters of Initiative Petition 30 (2010), which sought to establish the “paramount” rights of “every innocent life” including the “unborn,” failed to file the required number of signatures before the July 2, 2010, deadline passed, so it will not be on the November ballot.

Volkart v. City of Medford

July 2009 - Circuit Court Judge Rules Panhandling Ordinances Unconstitutional

NSA SPYING UPDATE

NSA Case Ends - But Fight to End Warrantless Surveillance Continues

December 2008 - The Oregon Public Utility Commission has dismissed the ACLU of Oregon’s inquiry into whether Verizon illegally turned over the private calling records of Oregon telephone customers to the National Security Agency.

FOIA

ACLU of Oregon's FOIA Request Reveals FBI Files

March 30, 2005 - In response to the ACLU of Oregon's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, the FBI has informed us that they do have documents on at least half of our clients named in the request.