The Legal Program handles cases that involve infringements upon constitutional rights and civil liberties. We represent individuals or classes of individuals whose cases will either serve to create new precedent or will result in general system-wide reform in favor of protecting and defending civil liberties.
In other situations, we may not file a lawsuit, but may write letters calling for changes or reforms.
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Feb 10, 2002
White et alia v. Martz
Public Defense
In 2002, the ACLU, acting on behalf of indigent criminal defendants from seven counties throughout Montana, brought suit alleging widespread unconstitutional deficiencies in the public defender system. A...
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Feb 1, 2000
Castro v. Billings Police Department
Racial Justice
Status: Other
This historical racial profiling case was the first to be settled after being filed at the Montana Human Rights Bureau as part of the Montana Human Rights Act. Billings police officers stopped Bonnie and...
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Dec 1, 1999
ACLU of Montana v. Custer County
Freedom of Religion
Status: Other
The ACLU sued Custer County after sending letters to encourage them to remove a large Ten Commandments sculpture and a seasonal Nativity scene from the courthouse lawn, citing separation of church and state...
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Jul 7, 1999
Matt v. Ronan School District, 30, Lake County
Voting Rights
Status: Historic
Clayton Matt and Janine Padilla both decided to run for their local school board; both are members of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai tribes; and both experienced discrimination while trying to run for...
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Jul 7, 1999
Alden v. Board of County Commissioners of Rosebud County
Voting Rights
Status: Historic
Charlene Alden, Fred Belly Mule, Holda Roundstone, Danny Sioux, Wilbur Spang, James Walks Along, Phillip Whiteman, Jr., Florence Whiteman, all members of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe, and Lynette Two Bulls,...
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Dec 2, 1996
Old Person, et alia v. Brown
Voting Rights
In 1996, the ACLU filed this suit on behalf of residents of the Flathead and Blackfeet Indian Reservations claiming that the 1993 legislative redistricting plan diluted the American Indian voting strength...