Racial Justice

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

Racial Justice

Criminal Law Reform

Fund for Empowerment v. Phoenix, City of

Fund for Empowerment is a challenge to the City of Phoenix’s 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
United States v. Rahimi

Racial Justice

Women's Rights

United States v. Rahimi

Whether 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(8), which prohibits the possession of firearms by persons subject to domestic-violence restraining orders, violates the Second Amendment on its face.
United States V. Rahimi. Explore Case.
U.S. Supreme Court
Sep 2023
Muldrow v. City of St. Louis

Racial Justice

Muldrow v. City of St. Louis

Do employees claiming that they have been denied a transfer because of their race have to demonstrate in addition that the transfer caused a significant material disadvantage?
Muldrow V. City Of St. Louis. Explore Case.
Court Case
Jun 2020
Defy Ventures, Inc. v. Small Business Administration

Racial Justice

Defy Ventures, Inc. v. Small Business Administration

Suing the Trump administration to lift its unlawful exclusion of businesses owned by people with criminal records from being eligible for Paycheck Protection Act funds
Defy Ventures, Inc. V. Small Business Administration. Explore Case.
California
Mar 2019
Protester holding "#Black Lives Matter" sign

Racial Justice

MediaJustice, et al. v. Federal Bureau of Investigation, et al.

On March 21, 2019, the Ƶ and MediaJustice, formerly known as Center for Media Justice, filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit seeking records about FBI targeting of Black activists. The lawsuit enforces the Ƶand MediaJustice’s right to information about a 2017 FBI Intelligence Assessment that asserts, without evidence, that a group of so-called “Black Identity Extremists” poses a threat of domestic terrorism. The Intelligence Assessment was widely disseminated to law enforcement agencies nationwide, raising public concern about government surveillance of Black people and Black-led organizations based on anti-Black stereotypes and First Amendment protected activities.
Mediajustice, Et Al. V. Federal Bureau Of Investigation, Et Al.. Explore Case.
Court Case
Aug 2015
S.R. v. Kenton County Sheriff's Office

Racial Justice

Disability Rights

S.R. v. Kenton County Sheriff's Office

A deputy sheriff shackled two elementary school children who have disabilities, causing them pain and trauma, according to a federal lawsuit filed today by the Ƶ, the Children's Law Center, and Dinsmore & Shohl.
S.r. V. Kenton County Sheriff's Office. Explore Case.

All Cases

129 Racial Justice Cases

In re Ezra L. Totton Scholarship
Iowa Supreme Court
Feb 2026

Racial Justice

In re Ezra L. Totton Scholarship

This case asks whether, in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s holding in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. Harvard College, a university may refuse to administer a privately funded scholarship set aside for Black students majoring in the physical sciences and redirect those funds to first-generation students instead. The district court denied the University’s petition to do so, and the case is now on appeal before the Iowa Supreme Court. The Court’s decision could have significant implications for other private scholarships that address the lasting effects of segregation.  
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In Re Ezra L. Totton Scholarship. Explore Case.
Iowa Supreme Court
Feb 2026
In re Ezra L. Totton Scholarship

Racial Justice

In re Ezra L. Totton Scholarship

This case asks whether, in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s holding in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. Harvard College, a university may refuse to administer a privately funded scholarship set aside for Black students majoring in the physical sciences and redirect those funds to first-generation students instead. The district court denied the University’s petition to do so, and the case is now on appeal before the Iowa Supreme Court. The Court’s decision could have significant implications for other private scholarships that address the lasting effects of segregation.  
In Re Ezra L. Totton Scholarship. Explore Case.
New Hampshire v. Michael Addison
New Hampshire
Nov 2025

Racial Justice

Capital Punishment

New Hampshire v. Michael Addison

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New Hampshire V. Michael Addison. Explore Case.
New Hampshire
Nov 2025
New Hampshire v. Michael Addison

Racial Justice

Capital Punishment

New Hampshire v. Michael Addison

New Hampshire V. Michael Addison. Explore Case.
Credit: Right to Democracy
Alaska
Sep 2025

Racial Justice

Voting Rights

Smith v. State of Alaska (Amicus)

The Ƶand Ƶof Alaska have filed an amicus in support of Tupe Smith, a woman born in American Samoa who now lives in Whittier, Alaska charged with falsely affirming that she was a U.S. citizen when she registered to vote. But Tupe Smith is not an “alien” under the law. People, like her, born in the U.S. territory of American Samoa are the only remaining individuals recognized as “non-citizen U.S. nationals,” a unique status that falls short of “citizen” but nonetheless recognizes that American Samoa has been part of the United States for over 125 years.   All evidence indicates that Ms. Smith believed that, as a non-citizen U.S. national, she was eligible to vote in local elections when she registered to vote. In fact, local election officials encouraged her to check the box labeled U.S. citizen when she registered, given the fact that there was no option for U.S. national.   Our amicus brief urges Alaska’s Court of Appeals to dismiss Tupe Smith’s indictment because of well-settled principles that election-crime statutes should be construed to avoid punishing innocent mistakes. Separately, we warn that upholding a different view of the law would make Alaska an outlier among the states.
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Smith V. State Of Alaska (amicus). Explore Case.
Alaska
Sep 2025
Credit: Right to Democracy

Racial Justice

Voting Rights

Smith v. State of Alaska (Amicus)

The Ƶand Ƶof Alaska have filed an amicus in support of Tupe Smith, a woman born in American Samoa who now lives in Whittier, Alaska charged with falsely affirming that she was a U.S. citizen when she registered to vote. But Tupe Smith is not an “alien” under the law. People, like her, born in the U.S. territory of American Samoa are the only remaining individuals recognized as “non-citizen U.S. nationals,” a unique status that falls short of “citizen” but nonetheless recognizes that American Samoa has been part of the United States for over 125 years.   All evidence indicates that Ms. Smith believed that, as a non-citizen U.S. national, she was eligible to vote in local elections when she registered to vote. In fact, local election officials encouraged her to check the box labeled U.S. citizen when she registered, given the fact that there was no option for U.S. national.   Our amicus brief urges Alaska’s Court of Appeals to dismiss Tupe Smith’s indictment because of well-settled principles that election-crime statutes should be construed to avoid punishing innocent mistakes. Separately, we warn that upholding a different view of the law would make Alaska an outlier among the states.
Smith V. State Of Alaska (amicus). Explore Case.
school classroom
Court Case
Sep 2025

Racial Justice

Free Speech

Black Emergency Response Team v. Drummond

This lawsuit challenges an Oklahoma classroom censorship law, HB 1775, that severely restricts public school teachers and students from teaching and learning about race and gender.
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Black Emergency Response Team V. Drummond. Explore Case.
Court Case
Sep 2025
school classroom

Racial Justice

Free Speech

Black Emergency Response Team v. Drummond

This lawsuit challenges an Oklahoma classroom censorship law, HB 1775, that severely restricts public school teachers and students from teaching and learning about race and gender.
Black Emergency Response Team V. Drummond. Explore Case.
National Education Association - New Hampshire v. Formella
New Hampshire
Aug 2025

Racial Justice

+2 Ƶ

National Education Association - New Hampshire v. Formella

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National Education Association - New Hampshire V. Formella. Explore Case.
New Hampshire
Aug 2025
National Education Association - New Hampshire v. Formella

Racial Justice

+2 Ƶ

National Education Association - New Hampshire v. Formella

National Education Association - New Hampshire V. Formella. Explore Case.
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