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Court Rules That Libertarian Party Nominees Must Be Placed On Massachusetts Ballot (09/23/2008)
BOSTON - A federal judge has ordered the Secretary of the Commonwealth to list Bob Barr and Wayne A. Root as the Libertarian Party candidates for President and Vice-President on the November ballot. As a result of a suit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, Barr and Root, who were selected at the party's nominating convention, will be substituted for George Phillies and Chris Bennett, two unsuccessful candidates whose names appeared on the party's state nominating petitions.

State Police Return DNA Sample (08/28/2008)
BOSTON - The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts today welcomed the return of the DNA sample voluntarily provided by Keith Amato as part of the investigation into the 2002 murder of Christa Worthington.

ACLU joins defense of academic freedom at MIT (08/19/2008)
BOSTON - Today, in a case with national importance for academic freedom and freedom of speech, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts are seeking to lift a gag order on three MIT students who have discovered flaws in the electronic "Charlie Card" and "Charlie Ticket" payment systems used by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). The hearing in MBTA v. Anderson takes place in U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts today, August 19, at 10:30 a.m., in the John Joseph Moakley Courthouse, Courtroom 9, before Judge George A. O'Toole, Jr.

ACLU of Massachusetts Files Suit Seeking Ballot Place for Third Party Candidates (08/06/2008)
BOSTON – In a lawsuit aimed at ensuring the franchise for Massachusetts voters, the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts has filed suit seeking ballot access on behalf of Bob Barr and Wayne A. Root, the candidates of the national Libertarian Party for President and Vice President of the United States. Despite earlier indicating that it would do so, the Massachusetts Elections Division has refused to place the names of the Libertarian Party's nominees on the ballot.

ACLU Challenges Government's Ban On Renowned South African Scholar In Federal Court Today (06/25/2008)
BOSTON – Today in federal court, the American Civil Liberties Union and ACLU of Massachusetts challenged the government's refusal to grant a visa to respected South African scholar Adam Habib. Last fall, the State Department refused Habib a visa after months of inaction, claiming that he is barred because he has "engaged in terrorist activities," but the government failed to explain the basis for its inflammatory accusation, let alone provide a single piece of evidence to prove it.

ACLU of Massachusetts Files Suit to Stop "Shadow" DNA Databases (06/19/2008)
BOSTON -- Cape Cod men who voluntarily agreed to provide DNA samples in the investigation of the murder of Christa Worthington have brought suit seeking to prevent the State Police Crime Lab from keeping their DNA in a secret "shadow" DNA data bank.

ACLU Honors Norma Shapiro, Wainwright Bank (05/27/2008)
BOSTON -- At its annual Bill of Rights Dinner on Wednesday, May 28, at Boston's Marriott Copley Place Hotel, the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Massachusetts will honor Norma Shapiro with the organization's Roger Baldwin Award, and Wainwright Bank & Trust with the Beacon of Liberty Award.

ACLU of Massachusetts Backs Suit Challenging Bush Administration Travel Restrictions On Family Visits To Cuba (05/16/2008)
BOSTON, MIAMI and MONTPELIER, VT -- Decrying the Bush Administration's attack on families, American Civil Liberties Union affiliates in Massachusetts, Florida, and Vermont, along with the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), today filed a joint friend-of-the-court brief in Vilaseca v. Paulson, a federal lawsuit in Vermont against the Treasury Department, challenging severe restrictions imposed by the U.S. government on travel to visit close family members in Cuba.

ACLU Report Exposes Unjust Detention Of Youth (05/12/2008)
BOSTON – A widespread practice in Massachusetts of locking up youth accused of minor offenses and who pose little or no danger to their communities is unfair, threatens public safety and wastes public money, according to a report released today by the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Massachusetts.

Daniel Ellsberg and Rachel Maddow to Headline ACLU of Massachusetts Membership Conference (01/25/2008)
BOSTON - More than 300 people from Cape Cod to the Berkshires will attend the first annual membership conference of the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, this Saturday, January 26 at Bentley College in Waltham. The conference theme is "Reclaiming Our Civil Liberties."

Massachusetts Education Department Drops Appeal of Adverse First Amendment Ruling (12/19/2007)
BOSTON – The Massachusetts Department of Education (DOE) has agreed to drop its appeal of a lower state court’s ruling that DOE officials violated the First Amendment when they coerced education conference organizers into cancelling the keynote speech of Alfie Kohn, a well-known critic of high stakes exams like the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) testing program. In dropping the appeal, the DOE issued a statement acknowledging that a former DOE official “violated the First Amendment rights of Alfie Kohn to be heard and to communicate information and of people to hear and receive information, at a conference in western Massachusetts in 2001.” The DOE said, “The DOE’s position is that vigorous debate about education issues is healthy and welcome.”

Jury Finds African American Passenger Was Unlawfully Detained at Logan Airport (12/10/2007)
BOSTON - On Friday, a Suffolk Superior Court jury found state police unlawfully detained American Civil Liberties Union attorney King Downing at Logan Airport in October 2003, and Downing agreed to a settlement of his claims against William Thomspon, the state trooper principally responsible for the unlawful detention.

ACLU of Massachusetts Warns Boston Residents About Warrantless Searches of Their Homes (11/20/2007)
BOSTON – Citing serious concerns about the threat to civil liberties posed by the Boston Police Department’s “Safe Homes” program, the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts today launched a neighborhood outreach campaign to educate people about the constitutional rights they are being asked to surrender by complying with the police program. “Safe Homes” calls on parents to allow detectives to search their private homes without a warrant.

ACLU Sues Over Exclusion of South African Democracy Scholar from U.S. (09/25/2007)
BOSTON – The Departments of State and Homeland Security are illegally blocking South African scholar Adam Habib from entering the U.S. under circumstances that suggest it is because of his political views, according to a lawsuit filed today by the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Massachusetts. Censorship at the border prevents U.S. citizens and residents from hearing speech that is protected by the First Amendment, the ACLU charges.

ACLU, Teachers Union Settle Free Speech Lawsuit Against City of Boston (07/02/2007)
BOSTON -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts and the Boston Teachers Union today announced that they have settled a federal lawsuit filed on behalf of long-time substitute teacher Jeffrey Herman against Jose Duarte, the headmaster of Boston's English High School. Duarte put Herman on a "Do Not Call" substitute teacher list for English High School after Herman testified at a Boston City Council hearing against the city spending over one million dollars for Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) programs in Boston public schools.

ACLU of Massachusetts Celebrates Vote to Preserve Marriage Equality (06/14/2007)
BOSTON - The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts celebrates today's momentous vote in the legislature defeating a proposed amendment to end marriage equality in Massachusetts. The final vote to defeat the amendment was 151 to 45.

ACLU of Massachusetts Salutes Adams Pro Bono Publico Award Recipients (06/07/2007)
BOSTON - The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts salutes the recipients of the sixth annual Adams Pro Bono Publico awards, conferred on June 4th by the Supreme Judicial Court Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal Services. The awards recognize outstanding commitment to providing volunteer legal services for the poor and disadvantaged in Massachusetts.

ACLU of Massachusetts Applauds State Attorney General’s Defense of Marriage Equality (05/16/2007)
BOSTON - Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley recently made a forthright statement of her well-founded legal judgment in a speech to the Massachusetts Lesbian and Gay Bar Association: marriage equality in the Commonwealth must be defended in the event that a proposed constitutional amendment survives the next legislative step onto the ballot. The ACLU of Massachusetts applauds Martha Coakley's leadership on this issue.

ACLU of Massachusetts Welcomes New Hampshire Civil Unions Law (04/27/2007)
BOSTON - Today, the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts welcomed passage of legislation in New Hampshire to provide the option of civil unions for lesbian and gay couples, with important rights, benefits and protections at the state level.

ACLU of Massachusetts Praises Decision to Cancel Lunch Bytes Program (04/19/2007)
BOSTON - Today the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts praised the decision by the Taunton School Committee to cancel plans for its controversial "Lunch Bytes" program, which would have used fingerprint scans to identify students in the lunch line.

ACLU of Massachusetts and Disability Law Center Applaud State Approval of New Voting Technology (03/05/2007)
BOSTON - The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts and the Disability Law Center today again joined forces to applaud Massachusetts Secretary of State William F. Galvin's decision to approve the use of a ballot-marking voting machine that is both accessible and secure.

ACLU of Massachusetts Calls for Rejection of Real ID, Draft DHS Regulations Ignore Privacy and Civil Liberties Concerns (03/02/2007)
BOSTON - The ACLU of Massachusetts today called for Massachusetts to join the growing number of states considering rejection of the flawed "Real ID" national identity card program.

Massachusetts Mayors and National Security Expert to Send Verizon and AT&T a "Wake Up" Call on Spying (11/16/2006)
BOSTON, MA - Mayors from four Massachusetts communities joined forces with noted national security expert James Bamford today for a press briefing at the Massachusetts Statehouse today to urge state officials to hold a public hearing on the role of telephone giants Verizon and AT&T in illegal government spying on Massachusetts residents.

ACLU of Massachusetts Renews Call for Public Hearing into Role of Phone Companies in Illegal Domestic Spying (08/23/2006)
BOSTON – Rejecting wildly overblown assertions that private phone companies can hide behind a “state secrets” argument, the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts today said it has filed legal papers with the Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Energy (DTE) calling for a prompt public hearing on a May 2006 complaint against Verizon and AT&T for their reported role in facilitating illegal government spying on ordinary Americans.

Massachusetts Pilot Cleared in Court Settlement; TSA Drops Accusations Based on Secret Evidence (08/07/2006)
BOSTON, MA -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts announced today that it has settled two cases brought on behalf of Massachusetts pilot Robert Gray who had been labeled a threat by the Transportation Security Administration (“TSA”) based on secret evidence.

Massachusetts Department of Education Liable for Unconstitutional Censorship, Says Court (08/01/2006)
BOSTON -- The Massachusetts Department of Education violated the United States Constitution when it prevented a critic of the state’s standardized testing system from speaking at a public education conference, State Superior Court Judge Hiller Zobel has ruled.

ACLU of Massachusetts Blasts Governor’s Plan to Use State Police as Federal Immigration Agents (06/22/2006)
BOSTON -- A plan by Governor Mitt Romney to use state police as federal immigration agents will undermine public safety by diverting scarce police resources away from real crime fighting and deterring residents from reporting crimes, while increasing the risk of illegal racial and ethnic profiling, said lawyers with the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts.

ACLU Launches Nationwide Action Against NSA Snooping on Americans’ Phone Calls (05/24/2006)
NEW YORK -- Responding to reports that phone companies are turning over private details about Americans’ telephone calls to the National Security Agency, the American Civil Liberties Union today launched a nationwide initiative to end illegal government spying.

ACLU Announces Settlement in Challenge to Government-Funded Religion in the Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Program the “Silver Ring Thing” (02/23/2006)
BOSTON -- The American Civil Liberties Union today announced a settlement with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in a case challenging federal funding of religious activities in a nationwide abstinence-only-until-marriage program, the Silver Ring Thing.

ACLU of Massachusetts Convenes Emergency Town Meeting on Domestic Spying and the Rule of Law (01/30/2006)
BOSTON -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts will host an Emergency Town Meeting on the Bush Administration’s Domestic Spying Program tonight at Faneuil Hall -- on the eve of the President’s State of the Union address and the proposed vote to confirm Judge Samuel Alito to the United States Supreme Court.

ACLU of Massachusetts Applauds Librarian for Standing Up to Warrantless Seizure of Library Computers (01/25/2006)
BOSTON - The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts today applauded the Mayor of Newton and its library director for requiring law enforcement authorities to comply with the basic requirements of the Fourth Amendment before seizing public library computers and the information they contain.

ACLU Urges Boston Mayor to Abandon T-Shirt Censorship (12/02/2005)
BOSTON -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts today sent a letter to Mayor Thomas M. Menino and Boston Police Commissioner Kathleen O’Toole urging them to abandon the announced plan to send city officials into shops to seize or “strongly discourage” the sale of T-shirts emblazoned with the message: “Stop Snitchin’.”

ACLU of Massachusetts Praises Legislators for Voting Down Discriminatory Marriage Amendment (09/14/2005)
BOSTON -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts today applauded the Massachusetts state legislature for overwhelmingly voting down a proposed amendment to the state constitution that would have codified discrimination against same-sex couples.

ACLU of Massachusetts Condemns Arrest of Peaceful Protesters and Use of Free Speech "Pen" During Army Event (06/14/2005)
CAMBRIDGE, MA -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts condemned the arrests today of peaceful protesters by police officers during an event on the Cambridge Common to mark the founding of the United States Army. The ACLU also criticized the police for forcing people to move into a ""pen"" if they were expressing views critical of U.S. policies.

ACLU Challenges Misuse of Taxpayer Dollars to Fund Religion in Nationwide Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Program (05/16/2005)
BOSTON -- The American Civil Liberties Union and Jenner & Block LLP today filed a lawsuit challenging the federal government's misuse of taxpayer dollars to fund religious activities in the ""Silver Ring Thing,"" a nationwide ministry program that uses abstinence-only sex education as a means to bring ""unchurched"" students to Jesus Christ.

ACLU Questions Scope of "Intelligence Fusion Center" in Massachusetts (05/11/2005)
BOSTON -- Responding to Governor Mitt Romney's unveiling of the state's first ""intelligence fusion center,"" the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts today issued a formal request to Secretary of Public Safety Edward A. Flynn for documents describing the purpose, structure, and funding of the center.

ACLU of Massachusetts Issues Recommendations on Less Lethal Force Policies for Police (05/10/2005)
BOSTON -- Citing safety concerns following the death of Victoria Snelgrove and other fatal incidents arising from the introduction of new police weaponry around the country, the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts today issued a report setting forth specific recommendations for improved training, use, and monitoring of so-called ""less lethal"" weapons by the Boston Police Department and other law enforcement agencies in the Commonwealth.

ACLU of Massachusetts Warns that Random DNA Dragnets Hinder, Not Help, Crime Investigations (04/15/2005)
BOSTON, MA -- Reports that police have arrested a suspect in connection with the murder of Truro resident Christa Worthington based on a DNA sample taken more than a year ago highlights the importance of not over-whelming the state crime lab with ineffective and wasteful DNA roundups of ordinary citizens, the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts said today.

ACLU of Massachusetts Questions Governor's Plan to Outsource Data Collection on Residents (03/31/2005)
BOSTON -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts today raised concerns about a decision by Governor Mitt Romney to spend tax dollars to give local law enforcement access to commercial databases that purportedly collect detailed information on 98 percent of all Americans.

Massachusetts ACLU and Town Clerks Challenge Governor's Discriminatory Ban on Marriage Licenses for Non-Resident Same-Sex Couples (03/11/2005)
BOSTON -The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts and 13 city and town clerks today filed an historic brief with the Supreme Judicial Court seeking authority to challenge orders by the governor and state attorney general that would require the clerks to discriminate against same sex-couples who come to the state to marry.

ACLU of Massachusetts Applauds Boston Police Commissioner's Opposition to the CLEAR Act (02/14/2005)
BOSTON -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts today praised Boston Police Commissioner Kathleen M. O'Toole for opposing the Clear Law Enforcement for Criminal Alien Removal (CLEAR) Act, an act expected to be taken up again this term by Congress that would pressure local and state law enforcement officers to enforce federal immigration laws.

ACLU of Massachusetts Calls for End to DNA Dragnet (01/10/2005)
BOSTON - Calling the use of DNA sweeps unproductive and a potential violation of the Fourth Amendment rights of individuals asked to give such samples, the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts today called upon law enforcement officials to discontinue use of a DNA dragnet in attempting to solve the Christa Worthington murder case in the Cape Cod town of Truro.

Massachusetts Transit Agency Violated Free Speech Rights by Rejecting Marijuana Policy Reform Ads, Federal Court Rules (12/09/2004)
BOSTON -- Attorneys for the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts declared a First Amendment victory today in a federal appeals court ruling that the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority violated free speech rights by refusing to display subway advertisements encouraging public discussion about marijuana policies and laws. However, the ACLU criticized a separate ruling that upheld the transit agency's decision to reject ads submitted by a Christian church group.

ACLU of Massachusetts Challenges Use of Behavioral Profiling at Logan Airport (11/10/2004)
BOSTON -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts today filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a so-called ""behavioral assessment"" program adopted by the Massachusetts Port Authority and the Massachusetts state police to stop and detain people for questioning at Logan Airport.

ACLU of Massachusetts Calls for End to Massive Government Surveillance of Local Activist (08/31/2004)
BOSTON, MA -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, joined by the American Friends Service Committee and Boston City Councilors Chuck Turner and Felix Arroyo, today called for an end to government surveillance of local activist Kazi Toure, who has been subjected to intense political surveillance by law enforcement officers for nearly a week based on spurious reports that he would participate in protests at the Republican National Convention.

ACLU Calls on Massachusetts Transit Authority to Discontinue Subway Searches After Democratic Convention (07/28/2004)
BOSTON - The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts today called upon the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority to discontinue its policy of searching commuters on the Boston-area train and subway system, despite a court ruling today upholding the constitutionality of such searches in the unique and narrow circumstances of the Democratic National Convention.

Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Upholds Indigent Right to Counsel in Historic Case Filed by ACLU (07/28/2004)
BOSTON - The right of poor people to legal counsel was upheld in an historic decision issued today by the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, in a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts and the Committee for Public Service Counsel.

Despite Harsh Description, Federal Court Leaves Protest Area Unchanged at Democratic Convention (07/26/2004)
BOSTON - Despite describing the protest pen at the Democratic National Convention as little more than an ""internment"" camp, a federal appeals court today denied an appeal of a lower court ruling that left the protest area unchanged.

ACLU Applauds Court Decision on Parade at Democratic National Convention Site (07/22/2004)
BOSTON-The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts welcomed a decision today by a U.S. District Court to permit a peaceful parade near the site of next week's Democratic National Convention, but decried the court's decision in a second case in which he declined to make changes to the so-called "free speech zone," consisting of a metal pen to isolate and confine protesters outside the convention site.

ACLU Denounces Boston's Random Subway Searches (07/22/2004)
BOSTON -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts today criticized a plan by Massachusetts transit officials to conduct random bag searches on the more than one million people who use the train and subway system each day. The ACLU is calling on commuters to assist in bringing a legal challenge to the random search policy, which is the first in the nation.

ACLU of Massachusetts Challenges Boston's Denial of Parade Permit During Democratic National Convention (07/19/2004)
BOSTON - The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts today filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of a coalition of peaceful protest groups against city officials over their refusal to allow a parade in front of the FleetCenter before and during the Democratic National Convention.

ACLU of Massachusetts Launches Report on Civil Liberties Violations in Massachusetts (05/13/2004)
BOSTON -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts today released a 50-page report assessing the impact of the methods being used to fight terrorism on the well-being of Massachusetts, its institutions and residents.

ACLU Challenges Boston's Permit Procedures for Protests During Democratic National Convention (04/15/2004)
BOSTON -- Lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts and the National Lawyers Guild today said that they are seeking significant changes in proposed permit application procedures for groups seeking to hold events during the Democratic National Convention. The groups said that current plans will create unnecessary delays and obstacles to obtaining permits.

ACLU Cheers Massachusetts High Court Decision Confirming Marriage for Same-Sex Couples (02/04/2004)
BOSTON -- The American Civil Liberties Union today welcomed a decision by Massachusetts' highest court confirming that the state cannot deny same-sex couples the right to marry. The Massachusetts state senate had formally asked the court if it would be legal to keep same-sex couples from marrying if it created a system of "civil unions." The court said "no."

ACLU of Massachusetts Decries Federal Imposition of Death Penalty Charge in Local Murder Case (12/23/2003)
BOSTON - The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts today decried the imposition of the federal death penalty in the case of Gary Sampson.

ACLU Cheers Massachusetts High Court Decision Not to Deny Same-Sex Couples Right to Marry (11/18/2003)
BOSTON -- Ruling under its state constitution, Massachusetts' highest court today issued a landmark decision striking a blow against discrimination and making Massachusetts the first American state to no longer deny couples the right to marry solely because they are the same sex.

Citing Right to Anonymity Online, ACLU Asks Boston Court to Block Recording Industry Subpoena (09/29/2003)
BOSTON - The American Civil Liberties Union and a Boston law firm have asked a federal court to quash a recording industry subpoena filed against a local college student, saying that companies should not have the authority to strip Internet users of anonymity without allowing them to challenge the order in court.

ACLU of Massachusetts Files Lawsuit on Behalf of Harvard Newspaper Seeking Release of Campus Police Records (07/29/2003)
CAMBRIDGE, MA - The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts and The Harvard Crimson filed a lawsuit today to force Harvard University to release campus police records, calling the lawsuit a landmark case for accountability of police departments at private universities in Massachusetts and possibly in other states as well.

ACLU of Massachusetts Condemns Censorship of "Bowling for Columbine" at Local High School (04/07/2003)
BOSTON - Saying that administrators at a local high school may have violated the First Amendment rights of an English teacher, the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts today condemned a recent decision by the school's principal to prevent the teacher from showing students the award-winning film, "Bowling for Columbine," because it allegedly contained anti-war messages.

ACLU of MA Defends Students Punished for Distributing Candy Canes with Religious Messages (02/21/2003)
NORTHAMPTON, MA -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts today asked a federal district court in Springfield to protect the First Amendment rights of high school students who were disciplined by school officials for distributing candy canes with religious messages just before Christmas.

Citing Free Speech Concerns, ACLU of MA Seeks FBI Records on Campus Surveillance Activities (12/12/2002)
SPRINGFIELD, MA -- Citing concerns about free speech on campus, the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts today said that it has filed a Freedom of Information Act request seeking details on government surveillance of college professors and students nationwide.

Massachusetts Supreme Court Ruling Supports Needle Exchange Programs (12/06/2002)
BOSTON -- Citing compelling public health concerns, the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts today ruled that members of lawful needle exchange programs may possess needles obtained from the programs throughout the Commonwealth, even in cities or towns that have not allowed the programs themselves to locate there.

MA High School Settles Free Speech Case; Senior No Longer Banned from Prom and Graduation (05/15/2002)
BOSTON--Facing a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, officials from Holliston High School today agreed to end the punishment imposed on Amanda Melanson, a high school senior who displayed a protest sign during the school's annual talent show.

ACLU of MA Sues Holliston School Officials for Punishing Students Over Protest Signs (05/02/2002)
BOSTON--The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts today filed a lawsuit in Middlesex Superior Court on behalf of Amanda Melanson and Elizabeth Cooper, two seniors at Holliston High School who were suspended them from school for two days and banned -- for the rest of the school year --- from all extracurricular activities, including the senior prom and graduation, because they held signs protesting the expulsion of two classmates. 

State Court Affirms Constitutional Guarantee Against Unreasonable Searches and Seizures (03/07/2002)
WESTFIELD, MA-A Massachusetts state court today rejected the Commonwealth's attempt to create a new "homeland security" exception to the Fourth Amendment guarantee against unreasonable searches and seizures.

ACLU Defends Church's Right to Run "Anti-Santa" Ads in Boston Subways (01/08/2002)
BOSTON--The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts and a local attorney today filed a First Amendment lawsuit against the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) for removing subway advertisements promoting the views of a local church and refusing to sell additional advertising space to the church. 

ACLU of MA Sues Education Officials for Silencing Critic of "High-Stakes" Standardized Testing (12/13/2001)
BOSTON--The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts today filed a lawsuit against state Department of Education officials for causing the cancellation of a keynote speech by a noted critic of so-called high stakes testing at an education conference in Northampton last May. 

Massachusetts Tattooing Ban Declared Unconstitutional (10/23/2000)
BOSTON, MA - Tattoos are expression protected by the First Amendment, just as much as paintings, drawings, engravings, and printed works, a Superior Court judge here today declared in a case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts.

Measure to Deny Voting Rights for Prisoners Is a Step Back for Massachusetts, ACLU Warns (10/02/2000)
BOSTON, MA--The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts spoke out today against Measure Number Two, a ballot initiative that would amend the Massachusetts Constitution to prohibit incarcerated felons from voting in elections for numerous state and federal offices.

Massachusetts Passes Racial Profiling Bill (07/14/2000)
BOSTON -- According to a story in today's Boston Globe, the Massachusetts Senate passed a bill yesterday to require police to record the race and gender of every driver issued a traffic citation.

Massachusetts Court Ruling Protects Citizen Critics From Police Libel Lawsuits (06/20/2000)
BOSTON -- In a resounding victory for First Amendment advocates, the Supreme Judicial Court today issued a ruling that significantly broadens the legal protections for citizens who criticize police.

Company That Violated Privacy Changes Name (05/02/2000)
BOSTON, MA -- Two years after Elensys Care Services Inc. ran into an explosion of disapproval over its use of confidential prescription records, the Massachusetts database management company has taken an unusual approach to public relations, The Washington Post reported.

ACLU Urges Boston School to Annul Suspension of Creative Student (04/27/2000)
BOSTON, MA -- When Boston Latin Academy suspended Charles Carithers for writing a vivid horror story as assigned by his English teacher, the school not only violated the rights of the student, but violated the principles of free expression which the school should be jealously guarding, the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts said today.

ACLU of Massachusetts Speaks Out on "High Stakes"Testing in Public Schools (04/11/2000)
BOSTON, MA -- Beginning tomorrow, all Massachusetts public school students in the 4th, 8th and 10th grades will be required to take a lengthy series of examinations known as MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System). Next year's 10th grade students will be required to "pass" the English and math portions of MCAS in order to receive a high school diploma in 2003.

ACLU Settles Lawsuit Brought By MA Needle Exchange Worker (10/08/1999)
BOSTON -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts today settled a lawsuit against the City of Cambridge and several police officers on behalf of a man who was arrested for possession of hypodermic needles, held for more than two days, and denied his epilepsy medications, even though he showed the police evidence that he was an outreach worker for Boston's needle exchange program.

Seeking Amends for False Imprisonment (09/28/1999)
BOSTON -- How do the innocent collect when they are released from prison after spending years behind bars for crimes they didn't commit?

In Report on School Safety, ACLU Urges Mass. Officials to Resist "Quick Fix" Solutions (09/08/1999)
BOSTON -- Seeking to forestall "quick fix" school safety measures that feed a climate of fear, the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts is sending school superintendents a copy of a new briefing paper, "Safety in Schools: Are We On The Right Track?"

MA. High Court Allows Forcible Collection of Prisoners' DNA (04/14/1999)
\BOSTON, MA -- In a decision harshly criticized by civil libertarians, the state's highest court has ruled that blood samples may be forcibly taken from convicted criminals to create a statewide DNA database, the Boston Globe reported today.