Court Declares Ban on "Offensive" Vanity Plates is Unconstitutional

The judgment comes in a lawsuit filed in March 2020 on behalf of Sean Carroll, an environmentally conscious Tesla owner who was ordered by the DMV to turn in his license plate “FKGAS” or else have his car registration cancelled.

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Court Rules that Johnston Police Department Violated Free Speech Rights of Former Detective

In an important free speech decision, a U.S. District Judge has ruled that Johnston Police violated the First Amendment rights of retired Detective James Brady.

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ACLU Files Open Records Lawsuit Against Attorney General on Behalf of Roger Williams Law Student

We filed an open records lawsuit against the state Attorney General's office, challenging a $225 fee they charged a law school student to provide her copies of reports that state law requires they annually submit to the RI General Assembly.

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ACLU Files Brief in US Supreme Court in Major “Search & Seizure” Case from RI

An unfavorable ruling in the case could “give police free rein to enter the home without probable cause or a warrant, whenever they think it is ‘reasonable’ to do so.”

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ACLU Sues Town of Portsmouth over Political Sign Ban

We have filed a challenged to a Portsmouth town ordinance banning the posting of political signs on residential, private property.

DiPaola Signs

ACLU Calls for Stronger Action to Address “Persistent” Providence Police Body Camera Violations

Citing repeated instances of police not activating body worn cameras in encounters with the public, the ACLU of RI has called on PVD Pubic Safety Commissioner Paré and Police Chief Clements to take stronger steps to enforce the department’s body camera policy.

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Education Commissioner Bars School District from Punishing Children for the “Sins of the Father”

RI Commissioner of Education Angélica Infante-Green has ruled that the N. Kingstown school district could not ban students from in-school learning because their parents had let them attend school while their father was waiting for his COVID test results.

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Court Approves Settlement Restoring Equal Opportunities for Women in Brown Univ. Athletics

A federal court gave final approval to a settlement agreement between Brown University and athletes resolving the class-action legal challenge to the school's decision to cut women’s teams from its varsity athletics program.

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Civil Rights Groups Decry Downplaying of Racial Disparities in Police Stops & Searches

Frustrated by the release of annual reports that minimize racial profiling patterns, three civil rights groups issued a letter urging significant amendments to the state law requiring the data analysis and reports.

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