News

Our lawyers and advocates are among the nation's leading experts on civil liberties and constitutional freedoms. Read the latest on the ACLU of Northern California’s work. To schedule a press interview, call (415) 621-2493 or contact press@aclunc.org.

Summer 2015 ACLU News

Aug 07, 2015

Download the Summer 2015 ACLU of Northern California Newsletter and read about our latest events and initiatives. Read More

2014 Year in Review

Aug 07, 2015

Download the 2014 Year in Review.

Voting Rights Restored to Thousands of Californians

Aug 04, 2015

By withdrawing a voting rights challenge that was taken up by his predecessor, on Aug. 4, 2014, Secretary of State Alex Padilla sent the nation a message that California will not stand for discrimination in voting and that he will fight to protect the right to vote for all eligible Californians. Read More

ACLU Sues State Hospital System for Failing Criminal Defendants with Psychiatric & Intellectual Disabilities

Jul 29, 2015

Today the ACLU of Northern California filed a lawsuit charging two state agencies with leaving defendants with disabilities to languish in jail, denying them treatment and their right to due process. Read More

Court Rules that Denial of Sentencing Relief to Juveniles is Unlawful

Jul 23, 2015

SAN DIEGO – The 4th District Court of Appeal, in a stunning rebuke to San Diego District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis, today ruled that Proposition 47’s sentencing reclassification provisions apply equally to children and adults.San Diego District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis had sought to deprive juvenile offenders of the retroactive relief the initiative provides. Her office argued that juv... Read More

Final Report on Marijuana Policy is Full with Recommendations

Jul 22, 2015

San Francisco – The Blue Ribbon Commission on Marijuana Policy released an extensive report detailing the complexities of marijuana legalization in California today. The report includes fifty-eight recommendations for policy makers and the public to consider before California decides to legalize recreational marijuana for production, sale and adult use.The panel of leading legal, academic, law enf... Read More

ACLU Sues Over Failing Public Defense System in Fresno County, California

Jul 15, 2015

The American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, the ACLU’s Criminal Law Reform Project, and the law firm Paul Hastings LLP filed a lawsuit against Fresno County and the state of California, seeking an overhaul of the county’s deficient public defense system. Because public defenders do not receive the resources necessary to represent their clients, thousands of Fresno County residents a... Read More

Racial Profiling Bill Moves Forward in California Legislature

Jul 07, 2015

Today Assembly Bill 953, Law Enforcement: Racial Profiling, made it out of the Senate Committee on Public Safety. AB 953, one of over 20 police reform laws proposed this year, was introduced by Assemblymember Shirley Weber (D-San Diego) to curb racial and identity profiling in California. Read More