Criminal Law Reform
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Arizona
Oct 2023
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.
U.S. Supreme Court
Sep 2023
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?
U.S. Supreme Court
Jun 2023
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.
Texas
Jul 2021
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 ACLU 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.
All Cases
154 Criminal Law Reform Cases
Arizona
Aug 2017
Criminal Law Reform
Cox v. Voyles, et. al.
The ACLU, the ACLU of Arizona, and the law firm Perkins Coie filed the case in 2015 against the Sheriff, the County Attorney, and other Pinal County, Arizona officials, for their enforcement of Arizona鈥檚 civil asset forfeiture laws.
The defendants filed three motions to dismiss, but a federal court ruled on August 18, 2017, that the claims at the heart of the case can move forward. The judge found that the lawsuit establishes a plausible claim that the state鈥檚 asset forfeiture laws violate due process rights 鈥渂ecause Defendants have a financial incentive to zealously enforce the forfeiture laws.鈥�
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Arizona
Aug 2017
Criminal Law Reform
Cox v. Voyles, et. al.
The ACLU, the ACLU of Arizona, and the law firm Perkins Coie filed the case in 2015 against the Sheriff, the County Attorney, and other Pinal County, Arizona officials, for their enforcement of Arizona鈥檚 civil asset forfeiture laws.
The defendants filed three motions to dismiss, but a federal court ruled on August 18, 2017, that the claims at the heart of the case can move forward. The judge found that the lawsuit establishes a plausible claim that the state鈥檚 asset forfeiture laws violate due process rights 鈥渂ecause Defendants have a financial incentive to zealously enforce the forfeiture laws.鈥�
U.S. Supreme Court
May 2017
Criminal Law Reform
Class v. United States
Whether a guilty plea inherently waives a defendant's right to challenge the constitutionality of his statute of conviction.
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U.S. Supreme Court
May 2017
Criminal Law Reform
Class v. United States
Whether a guilty plea inherently waives a defendant's right to challenge the constitutionality of his statute of conviction.
Missouri
Mar 2017
Criminal Law Reform
Shondel Church, et al. v. State of Missouri, et al.
The 老熟女午夜福利 and the ACLU of Missouri, along with the MacArthur Justice Center, and the law firm of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, filed a class action lawsuit against the State of Missouri over its public defender office鈥檚 inability to provide adequate defense to poor people accused of crimes across the state, as required under the U.S. and Missouri Constitutions.
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Missouri
Mar 2017
Criminal Law Reform
Shondel Church, et al. v. State of Missouri, et al.
The 老熟女午夜福利 and the ACLU of Missouri, along with the MacArthur Justice Center, and the law firm of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, filed a class action lawsuit against the State of Missouri over its public defender office鈥檚 inability to provide adequate defense to poor people accused of crimes across the state, as required under the U.S. and Missouri Constitutions.
U.S. Supreme Court
Mar 2017
Criminal Law Reform
Racial Justice
Pe帽a-Rodriguez v. State of Colorado
Whether a court may consider evidence of racially discriminatory comments during jury deliberations in deciding whether to grant a new trial.
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U.S. Supreme Court
Mar 2017
Criminal Law Reform
Racial Justice
Pe帽a-Rodriguez v. State of Colorado
Whether a court may consider evidence of racially discriminatory comments during jury deliberations in deciding whether to grant a new trial.
U.S. Supreme Court
Mar 2017
Criminal Law Reform
Weaver v. Massachusetts
Whether, when defense counsel in a criminal trial, through constitutionally deficient performance, fails to object to 鈥渟tructural error,鈥� the prejudice required to show ineffective assistance of counsel is presumed and thus shown as a matter of law.
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U.S. Supreme Court
Mar 2017
Criminal Law Reform
Weaver v. Massachusetts
Whether, when defense counsel in a criminal trial, through constitutionally deficient performance, fails to object to 鈥渟tructural error,鈥� the prejudice required to show ineffective assistance of counsel is presumed and thus shown as a matter of law.