Court Cases

Featured Cases

Court Case
Sep 14, 2025
Yellow background with brown and blue colored images of a house roof, and a mother with her small child walking up to a front door.
  • Economic Justice|
  • +3 Issues

National Alliance to End Homelessness v. Scott Turner, et al.

This case suit challenges new funding restrictions on federal housing grants. Under the new funding application rules, service providers and communities are blocked from applying for federal housing funds for new permanent supportive housing for individuals and families experiencing homelessness if they operate in jurisdictions with policies the Trump-Vance administration disfavors. This includes cities and states, like Rhode Island, that the Trump Administration deems to be “sanctuary protections” for immigrants; that provide services considered “harm reduction” services for drug users; and that have inclusive policies for transgender people.  
Court Case
Jul 21, 2025
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  • First Amendment

RI Coalition Against Domestic Violence v. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

Court Case
Jun 13, 2025
Green background with blue text and text boxes that says “FIRST AMENDMENT RELIGIOUS FREEDOM” and “Smith v. RI Dept. of Corrections”
  • First Amendment

Smith v. RI Department of Corrections

This lawsuit was filed on behalf of three Native Americans at the Adult Correctional Institutions (ACI), and argues that Rhode Island Department of Corrections has refused to accommodate an array of religious practices.

All Cases

359 Court Cases
Court Case
Aug 28, 2023
Cote v. Travis First Amendment Case
  • First Amendment

Cote v. Travis

ACLU of RI cooperating attorneys filed a federal lawsuit against the Warwick City Council for stifling the free speech rights of a local resident who was barred from speaking at a Council meeting about allegations of ethical misconduct aimed at one of its members.
Court Case
Jul 17, 2023
PLEE v. PPSD
  • Students’ Rights|
  • +1 Issue

Parents Leading for Educational Equity v. Providence Public School Department

Citing “systemic failures to comply with federal law,” cooperating attorneys for the ACLU of Rhode Island and the R.I. Center for Justice have today filed a federal class-action lawsuit against the Providence school district and the R.I. Department of Education
Court Case
Jun 02, 2023
AP v North Kingstown School District
  • Students’ Rights

A.P. v. North Kingstown School District

Court Case
Apr 24, 2023
andrew c v mckee
  • Students’ Rights

Andrew C v Mckee

ACLU of Rhode Island cooperating attorneys joined a national organization's long-standing federal class action lawsuit that requires the Department for Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) to implement systemic reforms to improve its treatment of children in its care and custody
Court Case
Feb 24, 2023
Mario Monteiro v. Rhode Island
  • Criminal Justice Reform

Monteiro v. Rhode Island

A petition filed in R.I. Superior Court to challenge the state’s “absurd” position that an important criminal justice reform enacted by the General Assembly in 2021 doesn’t apply to the person the law was overtly aimed to help.
Court Case
Feb 16, 2023
ad v bristol warren
  • Disability Rights|
  • +1 Issue

AD v. Bristol-Warren School District

A complaint filed against the Bristol-Warren School District on behalf of a six-year-old child who, the complaint alleges, for months has not been given the free and appropriate education (FAPE) to which he is clearly entitled due to his serious special education needs.
Court Case
Feb 08, 2023
jp
  • Disability Rights

JP v. Providence School District

This is a formal complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Education against the Providence School District for failing to provide parents of special education students with the documents that are used to determine a child’s eligibility for services and the nature of the services to be provided.
Court Case
Dec 13, 2022
doe v mckee
  • Due Process|
  • +1 Issue

Doe v. McKee

This lawsuit was filed on behalf of two dozen homeless individuals camping at the State House who are protesting the lack of adequate housing in the state.
Court Case
Oct 24, 2022
“Every Rhode Islander should be concerned not just about the flimsy safeguards that were in place to protect against a breach, but also that a state agency had access to the personal medical information of people not even in their employ.”
  • Privacy & Technology

Morelli v. RIPTA

This class action lawsuit was filed against RIPTA and UHC over an August 2021 data breach at RIPTA that compromised the Social Security numbers and other personal and health care information of thousands of individuals, including many with no connection to RIPTA.