FU-ACLU Investigates ACLU CASES

• ACLU Asks Court to End Government Funding of Religion in Mississippi Abstinence-Only Program (09-09-2009)

  Jackson, MS — The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Mississippi today asked a federal court in Mississippi to end government funding of religion in the state’s abstinence-only-until-marriage program.The case was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District on behalf of a teen and two community members who attended a state-sponsored abstinence summit in May of this year.

• American Civil Liberties Union Mourns Senator Edward Kennedy (26-08-2009)

  WASHINGTON, DC — The American Civil Liberties Union today mourned the passing of Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) who succumbed to brain cancer Tuesday night.

• ACLU Settlement Stops Louisiana From Earmarking Taxpayer Funds To Favored Churches (16-01-2009)

  NEW ORLEANS, LA — As part of a settlement reached with the American Civil Liberties Union, the state of Louisiana agreed to stop funneling taxpayer-funded grants to certain selected churches. The agreement settles an ACLU lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of portions of a 2007 law that directed unrestricted cash payments to churches favored by the government.

• Supreme Court Rejects Case Challenging Fredericksburg City Council Prayer Policy (13-01-2009)

  Richmond, VA — The U.S. Supreme Court decided yesterday that it will not hear a case challenging Fredericksburg City Council’s policy requiring that the prayers offered at the beginning of meetings by the members of Council be nonsectarian.

• City of Portland Upholds Freedom of Religion (28-08-2008)

  PORTLAND, ME — After more than five hours of testimony from neighbors, clergy, and supporters of religious liberty, the Portland Zoning Board of Appeals unanimously voted to allow a Portland Rabbi to continue prayer in his home. Rabbi Moshe Wilansky had received a cease-and-desist letter from Portland in May, ordering him to stop using his home as a “place of worship”. The Zoning Board of Appeals, however, rejected the city’s interpretation of the zoning ordinance, finding instead that the Rabbi was using his home in a perfectly acceptable way.

• ACLU Files Lawsuit To Protect Religious Freedom Of Florida High School Students (27-08-2008)

  PENSACOLA, FL — Santa Rosa County school officials are using their governmental positions to promote their personal religious beliefs in public schools, according to a lawsuit filed today on behalf of two Pace High School students by the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida and the national ACLU.

• Vigil planned to support Rabbi in Portland zoning dispute (20-08-2008)

  PORTLAND, ME — People from many religious faiths are expected to rally at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 21, at City Hall Plaza to support a Portland rabbi locked in a zoning dispute with the city. The “Vigil for Religious Liberty” will include leaders from several faith traditions who are deeply opposed to government interference in religion.

• ACLU Declares 10 Commandments Case Successful; Dismisses Federal Lawsuit Against City of Frederick (03-12-2002)

  BALTIMORE, MD — Declaring that its court challenge to a Ten Commandments monument successfully established the principle that religious monuments may not be located on government property, the ACLU of Maryland today dismissed its suit against the City and County of Frederick.

• Alabama's Chief Judge Ordered to Remove Ten Commandments Monument from Courthouse (18-11-2002)

  MONTGOMERY, AL — A monument to the Ten Commandments displayed on the grounds of the state judicial building here was ordered removed today by a federal district judge who said the display “crossed the line.”

• ACLU of San Diego Hails Appeals Court Decision on Sale of Soledad Cross (10-10-2002)

  SAN DIEGO, CA — The American Civil Liberties Union of San Diego today hailed a ruling by an 11-judge appeals court panel that denied four separate requests by the city of San Diego to reconsider a June 2002 finding that the city violated the California Constitution when it gave unfair advantage to a religiously oriented organization in the sale of a city-owned park.