In the Courts

Court Dismisses “Targeted Killing” Case

December 08, 2010
Al-Aulaqi v. Obama

December 7—The U.S. District Court today dismissed our lawsuit challenging the government’s plan to assassinate a U.S. citizen with a "predator drone." Judge John Bates wondered aloud how it could be legal for the Executive branch “order the assassination of a U.S. citizen without first affording him any form of judicial process whatsoever, based on the mere assertion that he is a dangerous member of a terrorist organization?” But he never answered that question, because he found that our client -- the father of the citizen targeted for killing -- was not qualified to raise these issues in court, and therefore dismissed the case for lack of “standing.” He also found that the case presented “political questions” not suitable for a court to decide. Click "Full Story" below for a link to the 83-page opinion.

Library of Congress Reneged on Job Offer to 25-Year Veteran Army Ranger

September 05, 2010

The U.S. District Court ruled that the Library of Congress enaged in illegal employment discrimination on the grounds of sex, prohibited by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, when it withdrew a job offer as terrorism researcher and adviser to Congress when the applicant informed her supervisor that she was transitioning, under established medical standards and long-term psychological guidance to a female. The court ruled:

ACLU-NCA Brings Lawsuit to Bar D.C. from Giving $12 Million to Mission

September 05, 2010

"We are in the business of converting people to Christ."

The ACLU of the National Capital Area (now the ACLU of the Nation's Capital), Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit on Sept. 18, 2008, challenging the District of Columbia's plan to grant more than $12 million in public property and cash to the Central Union Mission, a religious homeless shelter. View a copy of the complaint.

ACLU-NCA Attacks MPD for Violating New Law on Service of Process for Police Officers

September 05, 2010

Game-Playing Harms Victims of Police Misconduct

MPD continues to disobey the law requiring it to set up a system for serving a summons and complaint on officers through a senior official or the office of the MPD’s general counsel.

ACLU-NCA Urges Office of Human Rights to Withdraw Regulations and Concentrate on Mediation

September 05, 2010

Regulations Would Violate Human Rights Act Amendments on Gender Identity and Expression

The D.C. Office of Human Rights, proposed new regulations, published in the July 11, 2008 District of Columbia Register, to remove the requirement that the Department of Corrections and other agencies with custodial responsibility respect the gender identity and expression of transgender persons.