List of court cases involving the American Civil Liberties Union

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has been involved in the following legal cases, either by representing a party, or filing an amicus brief, or otherwise significantly involved.

1920s

1925

• Tennessee v. Scopes (Scopes Trial) - paid for John Scopes' defense
• Gitlow v. New York, 268 U.S. 652 (1925) - represented Benjamin Gitlow

1927

• Whitney v. California, 274 U.S. 357 (1927)

1930s

1931

• Stromberg v. California, 283 U.S. 359 (1931) - represented Yetta Stromberg

1932

• Powell v. Alabama, 287 U.S. 45 (1932) - represented the Scottsboro Boys

1933

• United States v. One Book Called Ulysses

1935

• Patterson v. Alabama

1937

• DeJonge v. Oregon, 299 U.S. 353 (1937) - represented Dirk DeJonge

1938

• Lovell v. City of Griffin

1939

• Hague v. CIO, 307 U.S. 496 (1939).

1939

• Bolanos v. California - represented Wesley Packard

1940s

1940

• Cantwell v. Connecticut

1941

• Edwards v. California

1942

• Betts v. Brady

1943

• Hirabayashi v. United States, 320 U.S. 81 (1943) - Amicus curiae for Gordon Kiyoshi Hirabayashi
• West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624 (1943) - Amicus curiae
• Martin v. Struthers

1944

• Korematsu v. United States
• Smith v. Allwright

1946

• Hannegan v. Esquire

1947

• Everson v. Board of Education, 330 U.S. 1 (1947) - Amicus curiae for Arch R. Everson

1948

• Shelley v. Kraemer

1950s

1951

• Kunz v. New York

1952

• Joseph Burstyn, Inc v. Wilson
• Rochin v. California

1954

• Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954) - Amicus curiae for Oliver Brown
• Hernandez v. Texas, 347 U.S. 475 (1954) civil rights

1957

• Roth v. United States, 354 U.S. 476 (1957) - Amicus curiae for Samuel Roth
• Watkins v. United States
• Yates v. United States, 354 U.S. 298 (1957) - Amicus curiae for Yates

1958

• Kent v. Dulles
• Speiser v. Randall, 357 U.S. 513 (1958) - ACLU lawyer Lawrence Speiser defended himself
• Trop v. Dulles

1959

• Smith v. California

1960s

1961

• Mapp v. Ohio, 377 U.S. 643 (1961) - Amicus curiae for Dollree Mapp
• Poe v. Ullman

1962

• Engel v. Vitale, 370 U.S. 421 (1962) - represented Steven I. Engel

1963

• Abington School District v. Schempp, 374 U.S. 203 (1963) - represented Edward Schempp
• Gideon v. Wainwright, 372 U.S. 335 (1963) - Amicus curiae for Clarence Earl Gideon

1964

• Baggett v. Bullitt
• Carroll v. Princess Anne County
• Escobedo v. Illinois, 378 U.S. 478 (1964) - Amicus curiae for Danny Escobedo
• Jacobellis v. Ohio
• New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, 376 U.S. 254 (1964) - Amicus curiae for The New York Times
• Reynolds v. Sims, 377 U.S. 533 (1964) - represented B.A. Reynolds

1965

• Griswold v. Connecticut, 381 U.S. 479 (1965) - Amicus curiae for Estelle T. Griswold
• Lamont v. Postmaster General
• United States v. Seeger, 380 U.S. 163 (1965) - Amicus curiae for Seeger, Jakobson and Peter

1966

• Bond v. Floyd
• Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436 (1966) - Amicus curiae for Ernesto Miranda

1967

• Keyishian v. Board of Regents
• Loving v. Virginia
• Whitus v. Georgia

1968

• Epperson v. Arkansas, 393 U.S. 97 (1968) - Amicus curiae for Susan Epperson
• Jones v. Mayer, 392 U.S. 409 (1968) - Amicus curiae for Joseph Lee Jones
• King v. Smith
• Levy v. Louisiana
• Terry v. Ohio, 392 U.S. 1 (1968) - Amicus curiae for John W. Terry
• Washington v. Lee

1969

• Brandenburg v. Ohio, 395 U.S. 444 (1969) - represented Clarence Brandenburg
• Gregory v. Chicago
• Street v. New York
• Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, 393 U.S. 503 (1969) - represented the Tinker and Eckhardt families
• Watts v. United States

1970s

1970

• Goldberg v. Kelly

1971

• Cohen v. California, 403 U.S. 15 (1971) - Amicus curiae for Paul Robert Cohen
• New York Times Co. v. United States, 403 U.S. 713 (1971) - Amicus curiae for The New York Times and The Washington Post
• Organization for a Better Austin v. Keefe
• Reed v. Reed, 404 U.S. 71 (1971) - represented Sally Reed
• United States v. Vuitch

1972

• Eisenstadt v. Baird, 405 U.S. 438 (1972) - Amicus curiae for William Baird
• Furman v. Georgia, 408 U.S. 238 (1972) - Amicus curiae for William Furman, Lucious Jackson and Elmer Branch

1973

• Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973)
• Doe v. Bolton, 410 U.S. 179 (1973) - represented "Mary Doe"
• Frontiero v. Richardson, 411 U.S. 677 (1973) - Amicus curiae for Sharron Frontiero
• Schlesinger v. Holtzman
• Miller v. California, 413 U.S. 15 (1973) - Amicus curiae for Marvin Miller

1974

• Communist Party of Indiana v. Whitcomb
• Smith v. Goguen
• United States v. Nixon, 418 U.S. 683 (1974) - Amicus curiae against Richard Nixon

1975

• O'Connor v. Donaldson
• Taylor v. Louisiana

1976

• Buckley v. Valeo

1977

• Wooley v. Maynard

1978

• In re Primus
• National Socialist Party of America v. Village of Skokie, 432 U.S. 43 (1977) - represented the National Socialist Party of America. Also known as Smith v. Collin

1980s

1980

• Pruneyard Shopping Center v. Robins

1982

• Island Trees School District v. Pico
• New York v. Ferber, 458 U.S. 747 (1982) [1] - Amicus curiae for Paul Ferber
• McLean v. Arkansas

1983

• Bob Jones University v. United States
• City of Akron v. Akron Center for Reproductive Health, 462 U.S. 416 (1983).

1985

• Wallace v. Jaffree, 472 U.S. 38 (1985) - Amicus curiae for Ishmael Jaffree

1987

• Edwards v. Aguillard, 482 U.S. 578 (1987) - represented Aguillard pro bono

1989

• County of Allegheny v. ACLU, 492 U.S. 573 (1989) - represented itself
• Texas v. Johnson, 491 U.S. 397 (1989) - Amicus curiae for Gregory Lee Johnson
• United States v. Verdugo-Urquidez, 494 U.S. 259 (1990) - Amicus curiae for Rene Martin Verdugo-Urquidez
• Webster v. Reproductive Health Services, 492 U.S. 490 (1989)

1990s

1990

• Cruzan v. Director of the Missouri Department of Health - represented Nancy Cruzan's family
• Employment Division v. Smith, 494 U.S. 872 (1990) - Amicus curiae for Alfred Smith and Galen Black
• Hodgson v. Minnesota, 497 U.S. 417 (1990).
• United States v. Eichman, 496 U.S. 310 (1990) - Amicus curiae for Shawn Eichman

1991

• Rust v. Sullivan, 500 U.S. 173 (1991).

1992

• Hudson v. McMillian
• Lee v. Weisman, 505 U.S. 577 (1992) - Amicus curiae for Deborah Weisman
• Planned Parenthood v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833 (1992) - represented Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania
• R. A. V. v. City of St. Paul, 505 U.S. 377 (1992) - Amicus curiae for R. A. V.

1993

• J.E.B. v. Alabama ex rel. T.B.
• Wisconsin v. Mitchell

1994

• City of Ladue v. Gilleo

1995

• Capitol Square Review Board v. Pinett
• Church of Lukumi Babalu Aye v. City of Hialeah
• Hurley v. Irish-American Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Group of Boston
• McIntyre v. Ohio Elections Commission
• Miller v. Johnson, 515 U.S. 900 (1995).

1996

• ACLU v. Zell Miller [2] - represented itself
• Romer v. Evans, 517 U.S. 620 (1996).
• NOW v. Scheidler, - Amicus curiae

1997

• Reno v. ACLU, 521 U.S. 844 (1997).

1999

• ACLU v. Schundler
• Hunt v. Cromartie, 526 U.S. 541 (1999) - Amicus curiae

2000s

2000

• Stenberg v. Carhart, 530 U.S. 914 (2000) - Amicus curiae
• Curley v. NAMBLA - represented NAMBLA pro bono
• Boy Scouts of America v. Dale, 530 U.S. 640 (2000) - Amicus curiae
• City of Indianapolis v. Edmond

2002

• ACLU v. Ashcroft (2002)

2003

• State v. Dalton
• McConnell v. FEC
• Lawrence v. Texas, 539 U.S. 558 (2003) - Amicus curiae
• Goodridge v. Department of Public Health - Amicus curiae
• Ayotte v. Planned Parenthood of New England - Amicus curiae
• United States v. American Library Association

2004

• ACLU v. Ashcroft (2004)
• ACLU v. Department of Defense - appellant
• Hamdi v. Rumsfeld - Amicus curiae
• Elk Grove Unified School District v. Newdow - Amicus curiae
• Rumsfeld v. Padilla - Amicus curiae
• Rasul v. Bush - Amicus curiae
• Locke v. Davey - Amicus curiae

2005

• Castle Rock v. Gonzales - Amicus curiae for Jessica Gonzales
• Citizens for Equal Protection v. Bruning - Plaintiff alongside Citizens for Equal Protection and Nebraska Advocates for Justice Equality
• City of San Diego and Mt. Soledad Memorial Association v. Paulson - represented Philip Paulson
• McCreary County v. ACLU of Kentucky - ACLU defended itself
• The King’s English v. Shurtleff - represented King's English and others
• Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District - represented eleven parents
• Varian v. Delfino - Amicus curiae for Michelangelo Delfino and Mary Day
• Gonzales v. Oregon - Amicus curiae for Oregon
• Rumsfeld v. Forum for Academic and Institutional Rights - Amicus curiae for Forum for Academic and Institutional Rights
• MGM v. Grokster - Amicus curiae in support of Grokster

2006

• Qassim v. Bush - Amicus curiae in support of Qassim
• ACLU v. NSA
• Howard v. Arkansas - represented Matthew Lee Howard and other plaintiffs

2007

• Morse v. Frederick - Amicus curiae in support of Frederick
• Gonzales v. Carhart and Gonzales v. Planned Parenthood - Amicus curiae in support of Carhart and Planned Parenthood

2008

• Abdel-Moniem El-Ganayni vs. the United States Department of Energy et al. - represented Dr. El-Ganayni pro-bono

2009

• In re: Gill - represented Martin Gill

2010s

2010

• Perry v. Schwarzenegger - Amicus curiae; private communications between officials in the organization were ordered to be released publicly as court evidence

Alphabetical

• Abington School District v. Schempp
• Abrams v. United States
• ACLU v. NSA
• ACLU v. Schundler
• Ashcroft v. American Civil Liberties Union
• American Civil Liberties Union v. Ashcroft
• American Civil Liberties Union v. Department of Defense
• Ayotte v. Planned Parenthood of Northern New England

• Baggett v. Bullitt
• Betts v. Brady
• Bob Jones University v. United States
• Bond v. Floyd
• Boy Scouts of America v. Dale
• Brandenburg v. Ohio
• Brown v. Board of Education
• Buckley v. Valeo

• Cantwell v. Connecticut
• Capitol Square Review Board v. Pinett
• Carroll v. Princess Anne County
• Castle Rock v. Gonzales
• Church of Lukumi Babalu Aye v. City of Hialeah
• Citizens for Equal Protection v. Bruning
• City of Akron v. Akron Center for Reproductive Health
• City of Ladue v. Gilleo
• City of Indianapolis v. Edmond
• Cohen v. California
• Communist Party of Indiana v. Whitcomb
• County of Allegheny v. ACLU
• Nancy Cruzan
• Curley v. NAMBLA

• De Jonge v. Oregon
• Doe v. Bolton

• Edwards v. Aguillard
• Edwards v. California
• Eisenstadt v. Baird
• Abdel-Moniem El-Ganayni
• Elk Grove Unified School District v. Newdow
• Employment Division v. Smith
• Engel v. Vitale
• Epperson v. Arkansas
• Escobedo v. Illinois
• Everson v. Board of Education

• Frontiero v. Richardson
• Furman v. Georgia

• Gideon v. Wainwright
• Gitlow v. New York
• Goldberg v. Kelly
• Gonzales v. Carhart
• Gonzales v. Oregon
• Goodridge v. Department of Public Health
• Gregory v. Chicago
• Griswold v. Connecticut

• Hague v. Committee for Industrial Organization
• Hamdi v. Rumsfeld
• Hannegan v. Esquire
• Hirabayashi v. United States
• Hodgson v. Minnesota
• Howard v. Arkansas
• Hudson v. McMillian
• Hunt v. Cromartie
• Hurley v. Irish-American Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Group of Boston

• In re: Gill
• In re Primus
• Island Trees School District v. Pico

• Jacobellis v. Ohio
• J.E.B. v. Alabama ex rel. T.B.
• Jones v. Alfred H. Mayer Co.
• Joseph Burstyn, Inc v. Wilson

• Kent v. Dulles
• Keyishian v. Board of Regents
• King v. Smith
• Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District
• Korematsu v. United States
• Kunz v. New York

• Lamont v. Postmaster General
• Lawrence v. Texas
• Lee v. Weisman
• Levy v. Louisiana
• Locke v. Davey
• Lovell v. City of Griffin
• Loving v. Virginia

• Mapp v. Ohio
• Martin v. Struthers
• McConnell v. Federal Election Commission
• McCreary County v. ACLU of Kentucky
• McIntyre v. Ohio Elections Commission
• McLean v. Arkansas
• MGM Studios, Inc. v. Grokster, Ltd.
• Miller v. California
• Miller v. Johnson
• Miranda v. Arizona
• Morse v. Frederick
• Mount Soledad cross controversy

• National Organization for Women, Inc. v. Scheidler
• National Socialist Party of America v. Village of Skokie
• New York Times Co. v. Sullivan
• New York Times Co. v. United States
• New York v. Ferber

• O'Connor v. Donaldson
• Organization for a Better Austin v. Keefe

• Patterson v. Alabama
• Perry v. Schwarzenegger
• Planned Parenthood v. Casey
• Poe v. Ullman
• Powell v. Alabama
• Pruneyard Shopping Center v. Robins

• Qassim v. Bush

• R.A.V. v. City of St. Paul
• Rasul v. Bush
• Reed v. Reed
• Reno v. American Civil Liberties Union
• Reynolds v. Sims
• Rochin v. California
• Roe v. Wade
• Romer v. Evans
• Roth v. United States
• Rumsfeld v. Forum for Academic and Institutional Rights, Inc.
• Rumsfeld v. Padilla
• Rust v. Sullivan

• Scopes Trial
• Schlesinger v. Holtzman
• Shelley v. Kraemer
• Smith v. Allwright
• Smith v. Collin
• Smith v. California
• Smith v. Goguen
• Speiser v. Randall
• State v. Dalton
• Stenberg v. Carhart
• Street v. New York
• Stromberg v. California

• Taylor v. Louisiana
• Terry v. Ohio
• Texas v. Johnson
• The King's English v. Shurtleff
• Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District
• Trop v. Dulles

• United States v. Eichman
• United States v. One Book Called Ulysses
• United States v. Nixon
• United States v. Seeger
• United States v. Verdugo-Urquidez
• United States v. Vuitch

• Varian v. Delfino

• Wallace v. Jaffree
• Washington v. Lee
• Watkins v. United States
• Watts v. United States
• Webster v. Reproductive Health Services
• West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette
• Whitney v. California
• Whitus v. Georgia
• Wisconsin v. Mitchell
• Wooley v. Maynard

• Yates v. United States

References

• ACLU list of successes
• [3] New Hampshire ACLU: "100 greatest ACLU cases"