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ACLU Applauds DOJ Revision of Right to Counsel Policy (08/28/2008)
Washington, DC – The American Civil Liberties Union today applauded the Department of Justice’s effort to better protect the American people from overzealous investigations by revising its policy on the right to counsel. However, the ACLU points out that this policy has been revised, at the whim of the deputy attorney general, five times in the last ten years. In order to guarantee a clear and consistent application of this important legal principle, the ACLU urges senators to pass the Attorney-Client Privilege Protection Act of 2008 (S. 3217) to permanently protect the right to counsel. The legislation was passed unanimously by the House of Representatives and has 13 bipartisan cosponsors in the Senate.

Prison Litigation Reform Act Must be Fixed, Law denies justice to victims (04/22/2008)
Washington, DC – The House Judiciary’s Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security is scheduled to examine reform of the Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA), which was originally passed by Congress in 1996 as a way to stem the tide against what were thought to be frivolous lawsuits by prisoners. Since that time, the law has been used repeatedly to deny justice to victims of rape, assault, religious rights violations and other serious abuses.

ACLU In Court To Protect Right To Adequate Legal Representation (01/31/2008)
RICHMOND, VA – The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments tomorrow in a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union to seek a fair compensation process for lawyers representing indigent defendants in that court. The case involves two court-appointed attorneys whose fees in a death penalty case were cut drastically and without any explanation from the court.

Landmark Lawsuit Seeks Repairs to Michigan Justice System (02/22/2007)
LANSING, MI - The Michigan Coalition for Justice filed a landmark lawsuit today against the state of Michigan and Governor Jennifer Granholm for failing to fulfill their constitutional obligation to provide adequate defense services to those who cannot afford private counsel. The coalition charges that Michigan has long abdicated its duty to ensure that poor people accused of crimes receive timely, qualified and appropriately resourced lawyers for their defense.

ACLU Hails Montana's Public Defense Bill as Leading National Trend (06/08/2005)
HELENA, MT - The American Civil Liberties Union today applauded the Montana Legislature's passage of groundbreaking public defender legislation that creates a new statewide office and guarantees constitutional rights to all Montanans, not just those who can afford to pay lawyers.

Statewide Public Defender Becoming a Reality (06/08/2005)
The American Civil Liberties Union today applauded the Montana legislature for enacting a precedent-setting bill that creates the state's first ever state-wide public defender office.

ACLU of Michigan Argues in Supreme Court that the Poor Have a Right to Counsel (04/25/2005)
DETROIT -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan today urged the Supreme Court to strike down a Michigan law denying legal representation to thousands of poor people in their criminal appeals. The Court will consider the issue during oral argument today.

ACLU Argues in Supreme Court that the Poor Have a Right to Counsel (10/04/2004)
DETROIT - The Supreme Court will hear arguments from the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan today that a state law is unconstitutional because it prevents poor people from getting legal representation in the appeal of most guilty plea cases. Michigan is the only state in the nation that does not allow judges to appoint lawyers and to deny attorneys in such circumstances.

ACLU of Washington Lawsuit Challenging County's Inadequate Public Defense System Granted Class-Action Status (08/26/2004)
ELLENSBURG, WA-- Kittitas Superior Court Judge Michael Cooper today granted class-action status to a lawsuit seeking to reform Grant County's woefully inadequate public defense system, the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington announced today.

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.

ACLU Applauds Pennsylvania Court Decision to Appoint Lawyers for Poor People Facing Prison (06/09/2004)
PITTSBURGH -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania today applauded a decision by the Beaver County Court of Common Pleas to provide court-appointed lawyers to poor people facing jail-time for failing to make payments in child-support cases.

ACLU Agrees to Postpone Trial Over Lack of Legal Defense for Montana's Poor While Attorney General Seeks Legislative Remedy (05/07/2004)
HELENA, MT - In response to a request from the Montana Attorney General, the American Civil Liberties Union and state officials today agreed to postpone trial in the ACLU's lawsuit over inadequacy of the state's legal defense system for the poor in Montana in order to allow the Attorney General to advocate for legislation that will address the problems the litigation seeks to remedy.

ACLU of Washington Report on County Indigent Defense Systems Cites Lack of Standards and Accountability Throughout the State (03/01/2004)
SEATTLE -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Washington today issued a report detailing the problems with how counties provide criminal defense services to people in poverty. The report, "The Unfulfilled Promise of Gideon," shows that a majority of Washington counties lack comprehensive standards and adequate oversight systems to ensure that these publicly funded legal services meet basic constitutional standards.

ACLU Files Class-Action Lawsuit Against Montana's Indigent Defense Program (02/14/2002)
HELENA, MT - - The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Montana today filed a class-action lawsuit against the state of Montana and seven counties alleging that the indigent defense services in those counties are constitutionally deficient. 

ACLU's National Prison Project Convenes Conference on Ending Prisoner Rape (10/19/2001)
WASHINGTON, D.C.-Although federal courts have deemed prisoner rape constitutionally unacceptable, sexual abuse of inmates continues to be a serious and largely ignored problem in U.S. prisons and jails. A conference convened this weekend by the American Civil Liberties Union's National Prison Project, titled, ""Not Part of the Penalty: Ending Prison Rape,"" will seek to shed light on this disturbing trend. 

Justice in Crisis: Venango County, PA's Indigent Defense System Fact Sheet and Report Synopsis (06/07/2001)
Following is an overview of the situation in Venango County, including a synopsis of key information in the Hartman report and a look at how Pennsylvania's public defenders system compares with others around the country. 

Citing Report, ACLU and NACDL Say Defense of Poor Is in Jeopardy in Venango County, PA (06/07/2001)
PITTSBURGH--A nationally recognized expert's review of the Venango County Public Defender Program reveals a system in crisis that is failing to provide adequate counsel to the poor, the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Association for Criminal Defense Lawyers said today. 

More Tainted Testimony from Oklahoma Forensics Lab (05/08/2001)
McALESTER, OK-- An investigation into improper testimony from Oklahoma City police chemist Joyce Gilchrist has provided more evidence that Oklahoma's criminal justice system is broken.

IL Rights Groups Ask Cook County to Approve Funds to Ensure Fairness for Defense of Poor (11/13/2000)
CHICAGO--Citing the need to insure fairness and equality in the Cook County justice system, three Chicago-based organizations appeared at a hearing today to ask the county board to approve funds that would ease a growing backlog of appeals cases.