Litigation

Archived Litigation

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.

Lanier v. Woodburn

Ninth Circuit Rules Drug-Testing Policy, As Applied, Unconstitutional

March 13, 2008 - The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals today ruled that a City of Woodburn pre-employment drug-testing policy is unconstitutional, as applied to Janet Lynn Lanier. Lanier in 2004 had applied to be a page at Woodburn Library.

Washburn v. Columbia Forest Products, Inc.

Oregon Supreme Court Narrows Definition of Disabled Worker

October 2006 - In Washburn v. Columbia Forest Products, Inc., 340 Or 469, 134 P.3d 161 (2006), the Oregon Supreme Court was faced with the question under the Oregonians with Disability Act of whether a person’s disability should be assessed with or without regard to measures which mitigate the disability.

Linn v. Silverton, Perry v. Winston

ACLU Settles Second Sign Ordinance Case

October 2006 - Joining our recent victory against the City of Winston for its unconstitutional sign ordinance is our successful lawsuit against the City of Silverton on behalf of Chris Linn.

Powell v. Portland Public School

ACLU of Oregon Calls Boy Scout Decision ‘Shameful’

Sept. 8, 2006 - The court held that it is not illegal for discriminatory organizations to recruit students in public school settings during school hours as long as the organization sanitizes its message, removing any mention that not all students can join.

City of Ashland's Watch List

June 22, 2006 - The American Civil Liberties Union, today, in a letter from the Southern Oregon Chapter of the ACLU of Oregon, told Ashland Mayor John Morrison and the City Council that it had “grave concerns about the Ashland Police Department’s development and uses of a ‘Watch List’ of 24 downtown persons regarded as ‘nuisances,’” and about the Department distributing the list to the Chamber of Commerce.

State of Oregon v. Gonzales

March 2006 -The ACLU hailed the U.S. Supreme Court’s 6-3 ruling respecting the right of mentally competent, terminally ill persons to make end-of-life decisions in consultation with their doctors, and rejecting the federal government’s misguided effort to interfere with those decisions.

Tillamook County Religious Displays

December 2005 -This past Christmas season we all heard the shrill “Merry Christmas” campaign of talk radio hosts and others around the country, including Oregon, who believe that too many people and businesses are afraid to say “Merry Christmas” and instead use alternative terms such as “Happy Holidays” or “Seasons Greetings” because the big, bad ACLU will sue them otherwise.

Burkett et al v. County of Jackson et al

September 2005 - Our settlement with Jackson County officials over a strip search of female inmates that occurred two years ago has now been finalized.

Douglas County Jail Bans Newspapers for Inmates

July 20, 2005 - The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Oregon is pleased that Douglas County Sheriff Chris Brown has reversed a rule that prohibited jail inmates from receiving newspapers. The ACLU of Oregon sent a letter to Sheriff Brown, in May, requesting that he to lift this ban.