Legal Cases

Along with our advocacy, legislative, and public education work, litigation remains one of the fundamental tools with which the ACLU of New Hampshire fights for equality and civil rights throughout the Granite State. See below for more information on the cases we've brought to the courts.
 
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Wooden gavel
Apr 12, 2017

ACLU-NH et al. v. U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Immigrants' Rights
Status: Pending

The ACLU of New Hampshire and five other New England ACLU affiliates filed a lawsuit on April 12, 2017 demanding government documents about the on-the-ground implementation of President Trump’s Muslim bans...

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Wooden gavel
Dec 21, 2016

Y.F. et al. v. NH Department of Corrections

First Amendment
Status: Decided

The American Civil Liberties Union of New Hampshire (ACLU-NH) and the law firm Bernstein, Shur, Sawyer & Nelson, P.A. filed a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a mail policy imposed...

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Wooden gavel
Oct 17, 2016

Modern-Day Debtors’ Prisons

Smart Justice
Status: Closed

The U.S. Constitution and New Hampshire state law prohibit courts from jailing people for being too poor to pay their legal fines, but local courts throughout New Hampshire have been doing it anyway.

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Wooden gavel
Aug 19, 2016

In the Matter of Deborah Munson and Coralee Beal

LGBTQ+ Rights
Status: Decided

A case before the New Hampshire Supreme Court concerning the fair distribution of property in a divorce between two women who were in a 20+ year committed relationship and joined in a civil union/married...

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Wooden gavel
May 18, 2016

Rideout et al. v. State of New Hampshire

First Amendment
Status: Decided

On October 31, 2014, the ACLU-NH filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of three New Hampshire voters—including one member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives—challenging RSA 659:35(I) on the grounds...

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Wooden gavel
May 2, 2016

Clay v. Town of Alton et al.

First Amendment
Status: Closed

On March 10, 2015, the ACLU-NH wrote the Town of Alton explaining that the Town, in suppressing Mr. Clay's peaceful political speech, engaged in impermissible viewpoint discrimination in violation of the...

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