News Releases

The ACLU filed a suit in 2004, challenging the constitutionality of the indigent public defense system in Grant County. The suit argued that public defenders were underfunded, overworked and lacked independence, depriving indigent defendants of effective assistance of counsel.

Seattle City Councilmember Nick Licata on Surveillance Cameras in Parks

Research has shown that government cameras in public places don’t reduce crime. The ACLU-WA has been a vocal opponent of efforts to place police surveillance cameras in Seattle parks.

The ACLU has filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the appeal of Cal Coburn Brown, who was sentenced to death in Washington state in 1993. The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit overturned the death sentence in 2005, ruling that a potential juror had been incorrectly kept from the jury that found Brown guilty and imposed the death penalty.

A class-action lawsuit seeking to reform Grant County’s woefully inadequate public defense system. The lawsuit seeks a court order mandating that the County operate a constitutionally adequate system of public defense. The American Civil Liberties Union and Columbia Legal Services filed the suit in April.

The ACLU-W believes in protection of rights of access to government information. Information is not owned by the government, but merely maintained by it; it should be available to all citizens. Access to information can empower citizens and lead to a more democratic, responsive, and generally better government. This policy does not address the question of what information is collected and maintained by governments; it is only concerned with access to existing information. Neither does it address what information should be exempt from disclosure.

A settlement between student Nick Emmett and Kent School District has ended the district’s attempt to punish the student because of a Web site created on his home computer. Under terms of the settlement negotiated by the ACLU, the suburban Seattle district will not pursue disciplinary action against Emmett over the Web site and will pay his attorney fees.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Washington today filed a freedom of information request with the federal Department of Homeland Security’s Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) seeking information about recent immigration sweeps across Washington.

Plaintiff statements for Madison v. State.

The Washington Court of Appeals overturned a law that regulates the content of political candidates’ statements, saying that it violates their right to free speech and does not ensure the honesty of elections.