News & Commentary

When reporter Brian Addison criticized the police for bringing drug-sniffing dogs to a high school basketball tournament, the chief of police retaliated. Today, we filed a brief to defend his First Amendment right to criticize local law enforcement actions without fear of retribution.

DA Rod Underhill revealed plans for a potential ballot measure to revise the part of Oregon’s Constitution that allows for non-unanimous jury convictions. What's really going on here?

Clackamas County District Attorney John Foote filed a lawsuit designed to stop the implementation of the forward-thinking Safety and Savings Act. The move shows how he is out of touch with effective criminal justice policy and is disconnected to public values.

Protest is critical to a functioning democracy. In a city that prides itself on free expression, progressive politics, and democratic values, it should not be a surprise to anyone that Portland has seen a significant increase in First Amendment activity since the 2016 election. What should surprise everyone is the severe response of City of Portland and the Portland Police Bureau toward these protests.

Take Action: The JTTF entangles local officers in surveillance and police practices that violate the state laws that protect Oregonians from being targeted based on our political, religious, or social views, or based on our real or perceived immigration status.

ICE detainees ended their hunger strike at NORCOR jail in The Dalles after ICE officials promised improvements.

ICE detainees at NORCOR began a second hunger strike to protest conditions at the county jail in The Dalles.

Last month, a group of football players at Westview High School in Beaverton were publicly berated by their coach at their game for kneeling during the national anthem. The coach said he thought their act of protest was disrespectful to the country and to the military. He said that high school players didn’t have a platform like professional football players did and encouraged them to act as a team. At a subsequent game, the coach had the players lock arms to “stand in unity” rather than kneel. In both of these instances, the students’ rights to free speech and expression were violated.

VICTORY! A settlement has been reached on behalf of our client Michalle Wright, a transgender prisoner who was subjected to cruel treatment and repeatedly denied medical care in Oregon's prison system.