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Slide Show: Survivor Stories >> Supreme Court Strikes Michigan Law (6/23/2005) The United States Supreme Court ruled that the Michigan law denying legal representation to poor people in a criminal appeal is unconstitutional. The ACLU of Michigan filed the one of a kind case after the law was passed in 1999. Under the law, an indigent criminal defendant who wished to challenge his sentence after pleading guilty was generally not entitled to appointed counsel, even for a first appeal. Michigan was the only state in the country that denied appointed counsel under these circumstances. > Read more about the case ACLU Works to Ensure Young People's Access to Counsel in Ohio (3/9/2006) The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio, ACLU National, The Children’s Law Center and the Ohio Public Defender’s Office filed a petition with the Ohio Supreme Court on March 9 calling for the court to protect children’s right to counsel when they are accused of a crime. > Read more about the ACLU's Juvenile Justice work > Read more about the ACLU's work to defend Ohio youth's Right to Counsel Montana's Defense Bill Leads Trend (6/8/2005) The ACLU applauds the Montana Legislature's passage of ground breaking public defender legislation that creates a new state wide office and guarantees constitutional rights to all Montanans, not just those who can afford to pay lawyers. > Press Release Podcast: The Trials of Darryl Hunt ACLU Senior Staff Attorney Reggie Shuford talks with Darryl Hunt, left, and Mark Rabil about Darryl Hunt's wrongful conviction. His case brings up questions of cross-racial eyewitness identification, prosecutorial misconduct, inexperienced defense attorneys and racial bias in death penalty cases.  > Learn more MP3 | Podcast Day of Darryl Hunt's Exoneration Feb 2004

Pivotal Juvenile Justice Legislation Passes First Hurdle (10/29/2009)
WASHINGTON – A bipartisan bill to combat youth violence was passed by the House Subcommittee on Crime today. The bill, H.R. 1064, would fund prevention and intervention programs that are comprehensive, community-centered and evidence-based efforts to combat gangs and youth violence. The Youth Prison, Reduction through Opportunities, Mentoring, Intervention, Support and Education Act, known as “Youth PROMISE,” is sponsored by Representative Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA) and currently has over 230 cosponsors. The bill is expected to be marked up by the full House Judiciary Committee soon.

Court Rules that Sheriff Joe Arpaio Can No Longer Block Prisoners' Access To Abortion Care (10/20/2009)
PHOENIX – In a case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union, an Arizona court found today that Maricopa County Sheriff Joseph Arpaio can no longer require inmates seeking abortion care to prepay their transportation and security costs before they can obtain an abortion.

Legislation To End Crack Cocaine Sentencing Disparity Introduced In Senate Today (10/15/2009)
WASHINGTON – A bill was introduced today in the Senate that would eliminate the discriminatory disparity between crack and powder cocaine sentencing under federal law. The bill, the Fair Sentencing Act of 2009, was introduced by Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) and would also eliminate the mandatory five-year sentence for simple possession of crack. A similar bill, H.R. 3245, the Fairness in Cocaine Sentencing Act of 2009, is currently awaiting a vote in the House.

ACLU Tells Chesterfield That Proposed Home Search Ordinance Violates Privacy Rights of Tenants (10/13/2009)
Chesterfield County, VA – The ACLU of Virginia has warned Chesterfield County officials that a controversial proposal to inspect rental units without a warrant infringes on the constitutional rights of owners and tenants.

Supreme Judicial Court Strikes Down Criminal Provisions of Lowell Juvenile Curfew (9/25/2009)
BOSTON -- The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court today struck down the criminal provisions of a Lowell ordinance that made it illegal for kids under 17 to be out between 11pm and 5am. The law allowed police to arrest youth who were out late, even if they were not doing anything wrong. The kids could then be found delinquent, leading to confinement at the Department of Youth Services and a juvenile criminal record.