Criminal Law Reform

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Arizona
Oct 2023
Fund for Empowerment v. Phoenix, City of

Criminal Law Reform

Racial Justice

Fund for Empowerment v. Phoenix, City of

Fund for Empowerment is a challenge to the City of Phoenix鈥檚 practice of conducting sweeps of encampments without notice, issuing citations to unsheltered people for camping and sleeping on public property when they have no place else to go, and confiscating and destroying their property without notice or process.
Fund For Empowerment V. Phoenix, City Of. Explore Case.
U.S. Supreme Court
Sep 2023
McElrath v. Georgia

Criminal Law Reform

McElrath v. Georgia

Does the Double Jeopardy Clause bar an appellate court from reviewing and setting aside a jury鈥檚 verdicts of acquittal on the ground that the verdict is inconsistent with the jury鈥檚 verdict on other charges?
Mcelrath V. Georgia. Explore Case.
U.S. Supreme Court
Jun 2023
Pulsifer v. United States

Criminal Law Reform

Pulsifer v. United States

This case involves the interpretation of a federal law that allows defendants to avoid mandatory minimum sentences for certain nonviolent drug crimes, allowing judges to impose sentences tailored to their individual circumstances.
Pulsifer V. United States. Explore Case.
Texas
Jul 2021
Sanchez et al v. Dallas County Sheriff et al

Criminal Law Reform

Prisoners' Rights

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 桃子视频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.
Sanchez Et Al V. Dallas County Sheriff Et Al. Explore Case.

All Cases

157 Criminal Law Reform Cases

Jennings v. Smith
Alabama Supreme Court
Aug 2025

Criminal Law Reform

Jennings v. Smith

This case asks whether Alabama law enforcement officers can demand physical ID when enforcing an Alabama that allows them to 鈥淪top and Question鈥 people they reasonably suspect of criminal activity. Although the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit has already held that Alabama鈥檚 stop-and-question law does not authorize officers to demand physical ID, a federal district court in Alabama certified a question to the Alabama Supreme Court effectively asking the Court to reject that interpretation. The ACLU鈥檚 State Supreme Court Initiative, along with the Cato Institute, the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Woods Foundation, and Kaplan Legal Services, filed an amicus brief urging the Alabama Supreme Court to agree with the Eleventh Circuit鈥檚 ruling. Our brief argues that the plain meaning of the stop-and-question law鈥攇iven its title, its text, and the overall structure of the Alabama Code鈥攔ules out the possibility that it authorizes demands for physical documents. We also point out that interpreting the stop-and-question law to authorize document demands would render the law unconstitutional under both the U.S. and Alabama Constitutions.
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Jennings V. Smith. Explore Case.
Alabama Supreme Court
Aug 2025
Jennings v. Smith

Criminal Law Reform

Jennings v. Smith

This case asks whether Alabama law enforcement officers can demand physical ID when enforcing an Alabama that allows them to 鈥淪top and Question鈥 people they reasonably suspect of criminal activity. Although the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit has already held that Alabama鈥檚 stop-and-question law does not authorize officers to demand physical ID, a federal district court in Alabama certified a question to the Alabama Supreme Court effectively asking the Court to reject that interpretation. The ACLU鈥檚 State Supreme Court Initiative, along with the Cato Institute, the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Woods Foundation, and Kaplan Legal Services, filed an amicus brief urging the Alabama Supreme Court to agree with the Eleventh Circuit鈥檚 ruling. Our brief argues that the plain meaning of the stop-and-question law鈥攇iven its title, its text, and the overall structure of the Alabama Code鈥攔ules out the possibility that it authorizes demands for physical documents. We also point out that interpreting the stop-and-question law to authorize document demands would render the law unconstitutional under both the U.S. and Alabama Constitutions.
Jennings V. Smith. Explore Case.
Romano v. Warden, FCI Fairton (Amicus)
New Jersey
Aug 2025

Criminal Law Reform

Romano v. Warden, FCI Fairton (Amicus)

This case challenges the federal government鈥檚 authority to remove people from their homes, jobs, and loved ones and remand them to federal prison absent any alleged violation or process.
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Romano V. Warden, Fci Fairton (amicus). Explore Case.
New Jersey
Aug 2025
Romano v. Warden, FCI Fairton (Amicus)

Criminal Law Reform

Romano v. Warden, FCI Fairton (Amicus)

This case challenges the federal government鈥檚 authority to remove people from their homes, jobs, and loved ones and remand them to federal prison absent any alleged violation or process.
Romano V. Warden, Fci Fairton (amicus). Explore Case.
State v. K.R.C.
Wisconsin Supreme Court
Jul 2025

Criminal Law Reform

+2 桃子视频

State v. K.R.C.

This case asks whether a 12-year-old boy was in custody and entitled to Miranda warnings during a closed-door police interrogation by a school resource officer in the school building. The court of appeals held that he was not in custody, not entitled to Miranda warnings, and voluntarily incriminated himself. The ACLU鈥檚 State Supreme Court Initiative and the 桃子视频of Wisconsin filed an amicus brief arguing that admitting the boy鈥檚 statements into evidence not only violated the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution but Article I, Section 8 of the Wisconsin Constitution, and urging the Wisconsin Supreme Court to rest its decision on the state charter to better protect Wisconsinites鈥 civil liberties.
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State V. K.r.c.. Explore Case.
Wisconsin Supreme Court
Jul 2025
State v. K.R.C.

Criminal Law Reform

+2 桃子视频

State v. K.R.C.

This case asks whether a 12-year-old boy was in custody and entitled to Miranda warnings during a closed-door police interrogation by a school resource officer in the school building. The court of appeals held that he was not in custody, not entitled to Miranda warnings, and voluntarily incriminated himself. The ACLU鈥檚 State Supreme Court Initiative and the 桃子视频of Wisconsin filed an amicus brief arguing that admitting the boy鈥檚 statements into evidence not only violated the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution but Article I, Section 8 of the Wisconsin Constitution, and urging the Wisconsin Supreme Court to rest its decision on the state charter to better protect Wisconsinites鈥 civil liberties.
State V. K.r.c.. Explore Case.
State v. Hidlebaugh
Iowa Supreme Court
Jun 2025

Criminal Law Reform

State v. Hidlebaugh

This case asks whether it violates equal protection principles to impose a prison sentence, instead of probation, based on a defendant鈥檚 inability to purchase a house. The ACLU鈥檚 State Supreme Court Initiative and the 桃子视频of Iowa filed an amicus brief arguing that imposing a harsher sentence based on a criminal defendant鈥檚 inability to purchase a home impinges on the equal protection guarantees in the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and article I, sections 1 and 6 of the Iowa Constitution.
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State V. Hidlebaugh. Explore Case.
Iowa Supreme Court
Jun 2025
State v. Hidlebaugh

Criminal Law Reform

State v. Hidlebaugh

This case asks whether it violates equal protection principles to impose a prison sentence, instead of probation, based on a defendant鈥檚 inability to purchase a house. The ACLU鈥檚 State Supreme Court Initiative and the 桃子视频of Iowa filed an amicus brief arguing that imposing a harsher sentence based on a criminal defendant鈥檚 inability to purchase a home impinges on the equal protection guarantees in the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and article I, sections 1 and 6 of the Iowa Constitution.
State V. Hidlebaugh. Explore Case.
Coalition on Homelessness v. City and County of San Francisco
California
Jun 2025

Criminal Law Reform

Racial Justice

Coalition on Homelessness v. City and County of San Francisco

Coalition on Homelessness is a challenge to the City and County of San Francisco鈥檚 efforts to criminalize homelessness through an array of unconstitutional practices, including confiscating and destroying the personal property of unhoused people without adequate notice or due process, and citing and arresting unhoused people for sleeping in public.
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Coalition On Homelessness V. City And County Of San Francisco. Explore Case.
California
Jun 2025
Coalition on Homelessness v. City and County of San Francisco

Criminal Law Reform

Racial Justice

Coalition on Homelessness v. City and County of San Francisco

Coalition on Homelessness is a challenge to the City and County of San Francisco鈥檚 efforts to criminalize homelessness through an array of unconstitutional practices, including confiscating and destroying the personal property of unhoused people without adequate notice or due process, and citing and arresting unhoused people for sleeping in public.
Coalition On Homelessness V. City And County Of San Francisco. Explore Case.
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