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Round Two Begins in Legal Fight to Force Feds to Honor States’ Medical Marijuana Laws (01/31/2006)
SAN JOSE, CA – The city of Santa Cruz, California and a collective of Santa Cruz medical marijuana patients today asked a federal court to approve the city’s plan to provide medical marijuana directly to patients. The American Civil Liberties Union, Bingham McCutchen LLP, the Drug Policy Alliance and others filed legal documents setting out new claims based on an ordinance recently enacted by the Santa Cruz City Council that establishes the provision of medical marijuana as an official city government function. The legal papers were filed in County of Santa Cruz v. Gonzales.

Medical Marijuana Patients Serve San Diego Supervisors a Taste of their Own Medicine (01/24/2006)
SAN DIEGO - The American Civil Liberties Union, Americans for Safe Access (ASA) and the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) announced today that they would intervene in the San Diego County Board of Supervisors’ federal lawsuit seeking to overturn California’s Compassionate Use Act.

ACLU and Sentencing Experts Urge Federal Court to Uphold Judges’ Right to Reject 100-to-1 Crack/Powder Ratio (01/20/2006)
SAN FRANCISCO – The American Civil Liberties Union joined a group of renowned criminal law and sentencing experts in filing a friend-of-the-court brief today in a case concerning the right of judges to depart from the controversial 100-to-1 crack/powder cocaine sentencing disparity imposed by Congress. The case, U.S. v. Starks, is being argued in the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.

ACLU Announces Defense of Indians Targeted in Meth Sting Operation (11/21/2005)
ROME, GA - In collaboration with the local community and a national South Asian organization, the American Civil Liberties Union today announced its defense of three convenience store owners and workers of Indian descent arrested for selling common household items that can be used in the production of methamphetamine. The ACLU promised a thorough investigation into claims that law enforcement selectively targeted the Indian community based on national origin and race.

Nation's First Government Office to Provide Medical Marijuana Directly to Patients Established by Santa Cruz, CA City Council (11/08/2005)
SANTA CRUZ, CA - The nation's first-ever government office tasked with providing medical marijuana directly to patients will likely be established today by the Santa Cruz City Council, the American Civil Liberties Union said. The action is designed to test states' constitutional right to opt out of enforcing the federal government's medical marijuana prohibition scheme.

ACLU and Students Challenge Drug Sweep at Maryland High School (11/03/2005)
BALTIMORE -- Two Kent County families and the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland today filed a lawsuit challenging a warrantless, investigative drug sweep at Kent County High School, during which drug-sniffing dogs were deployed. The lawsuit charges police and school officials with violating students' rights by seizing and searching their bags and subjecting them to humiliating bodily searches without just cause.

ACLU Joins Lawsuit Challenging Raids of Concerts and Violation of Free Speech (09/26/2005)
SALT LAKE CITY -- The American Civil Liberties Union announced today that it would join a lawsuit challenging law enforcement raids of electronic music concerts. The suit charges local law enforcement engaged in widespread violations of the constitutional rights of concert promoters and venue owners during electronic music concerts on July 16 and August 20.

ACLU Challenges Burbank Policy of Pursuing Prosecutions of Innocent Medical Marijuana Patients (09/22/2005)
BURBANK, CA - Confronted with the prospect of a jury trial set to begin next week, a Burbank city attorney today dropped charges against medical marijuana patient Valerie Corral. The American Civil Liberties Union, which represents Corral, was poised to challenge Burbank's illegal policy of pursuing prosecutions against medical marijuana patients known to be innocent. Despite having dropped the charges against Corral, the city attorney continues to insist that she is guilty and has refused to order police to return her seized medical marijuana.

ACLU of Washington Represents Parents, Students, and Football Coach In Challenge to Suspicionless Drug Testing Of High School Students (09/14/2005)
ELLENSBURG, WA -- Represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington, several parents, students, and a football coach are challenging a plan for suspicionless drug testing of students at Cle Elum-Roslyn High School located in the central part of the state.

Hearings Begin Today in ACLU Challenge to Government Obstruction of Medical Marijuana Research (08/22/2005)
WASHINGTON - Hearings opened today in the American Civil Liberties Union's challenge to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's policy of obstructing privately funded, FDA-approved scientific research that could lead to marijuana being approved as a prescription medicine.

California Reinstates Medical Marijuana Card Program After ACLU and Drug Policy Alliance Threaten Lawsuit (07/19/2005)
SACRAMENTO -- The Schwarzenegger administration today complied with demands from the American Civil Liberties Union and the Drug Policy Alliance and reinstated California's medical marijuana card program.

ACLU and Drug Policy Alliance Threaten to Sue Schwarzenegger for Suspending California's Medical Marijuana Law (07/12/2005)
SACRAMENTO - The American Civil Liberties Union and the Drug Policy Alliance threatened today to sue the Schwarzenegger administration unless it reverses its illegal suspension of California's Medical Marijuana Program.

ACLU Applauds Oregon Attorney General's Statement that Medical Marijuana Program Remains 100 Percent Legal (06/17/2005)
PORTLAND, OR - The American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon expressed satisfaction that the state attorney general's office acknowledged today that Oregon's medical marijuana program remains in full force and effect despite the U.S. Supreme Court's decision last week in Gonzales v. Raich. The attorney general's opinion means that the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) must immediately resume issuance of medical marijuana registry identification cards to qualified applicants - a process that DHS had temporarily suspended pending the attorney general's review.

ACLU of Alaska Calls on Attorney General to Clarify State's Commitment to Uphold Medical Marijuana Statute (06/16/2005)
JUNEAU, AK - The American Civil Liberties Union of Alaska announced today that it has submitted a letter to the state attorney general's office requesting public acknowledgment of the continued validity of the state's medical marijuana law. The letter comes after newly appointed Alaska Attorney General David W. Márquez last week announced that the state's medical marijuana law was under review and could be declared inoperative following the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Gonzales v. Raich.

U.S. Attorney Retracts Threat of Prosecution After Receiving Demand from ACLU of Hawaii (06/13/2005)
HONOLULU -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii today said it appreciated the ""clarification"" of comments by U.S. Attorney Ed Kubo regarding doctors who recommend medical marijuana to their patients.

ACLU of Oregon Urges State Officials to Immediately Resume Medical Marijuana Card Program (06/09/2005)
PORTLAND, OR -- The American Civil Liberties of Oregon issued a letter today to the State Attorney General's office and the Department of Human Services urging the immediate resumption of the state's medical marijuana card program in compliance with state law.

ACLU of Hawaii Demands Immediate Retraction from U.S. Attorney (06/08/2005)
HONOLULU -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii (ACLU) demanded in a letter today that U.S. Attorney Ed Kubo immediately retract comments threatening to arrest doctors who recommend medical marijuana to their patients.

In Wake of ACLU Civil Rights Lawsuit Settlement, African Americans Affected by Texas Drug Task Force Scandal Call for Reconciliation at Town Meeting (06/02/2005)
HEARNE, TX -- At a community meeting tonight, African American residents in this rural community of 5,000, where the American Civil Liberties Union recently settled a major civil rights lawsuit against agents of a federally funded regional narcotics task force, will meet with local and state officials to discuss ways to work together to reform drug law enforcement in Robertson County, where Hearne is located.

Civil Rights Lawsuit Settled by Robertson County, Texas and ACLU (05/11/2005)
HEARNE, TX -- Robertson County, the American Civil Liberties Union and the law firm Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr today announced the resolution and an end to a civil rights lawsuit which arose from the arrest of 27 African American residents in this Texas town. The charges against the plaintiffs in this case were ultimately dismissed. The details of the settlement are confidential. However, both Robertson County and the ACLU are satisfied with the resolution of this case.

ACLU of Virginia Offers Legal Aid to Methadone Clinics Barred From Opening Under New Law (03/03/2005)
RICHMOND, VA- The American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia announced today that it will offer legal representation to methadone clinics prevented from opening because of a new state moratorium. The ACLU charges that the new law discriminates against recovering addicts who are denied the services offered by the clinics.