News & Commentary

St. Louis, MO -- Today, the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri filed suit against the city of University City, Missouri, on behalf of city resident Andrew Roberts. The mayor of University City ordered police to remove Roberts from a city council meeting after he attempted to state his opposition to a proposed resolution during the public comment period of the meeting. The mayor also barred Roberts from speaking at future meetings. On January 11, 2016, Roberts attempted to deliver a prepared statement on Resolution 2016-2, a controversial, formal resolution to censure Councilmember Terry Crow. Through his statement, Roberts

St. Louis, MO -- Today, the ACLU of Missouri filed a petition against the Metropolitan Police Department, City of St. Louis (SLMPD) for creating artificial barriers intended to make it more difficult for the public to access open records in accordance with the Missouri Sunshine Law. Mustafa Abdullah, lead organizer at the ACLU of Missouri, requested all arrest reports from June 1, 2016, and June 2, 2016, to invest

Kansas City, MO -- Today, the ACLU of Missouri filed suit against the City of Belton, Missouri, on behalf of Missouri resident Roger Walker, challenging a Belton ordinance that restricts panhandling. Panhandling is protected under the First Amendment.

The Missouri legislature has repeatedly enacted abortion regulations that have no medical benefit for patients—all under the guise of purporting to protect women’s health. Today’s Supreme Court decision means that courts will no longer play along with the legislature’s disingenuous game of pretending to help women by erecting unnecessary barriers to abortion care. It should mark the end of Missouri’s campaign to impose unnecessary and burdensome regulations on abortion providers for the purpose of making abortion care more difficult to obtain.

Dear ACLU Members, Partners, Board, and Staff:

St. Louis, MO -- Despite recent rulings that the Metropolitan Police Department of the City of St. Louis (SLMPD) must release certain investigative reports to the public, SLMPD has again withheld these open records and refused to give them to Curtis Farber. Because this refusal violates the Sunshine Law, the ACLU of Missouri today filed suit against SLMPD on behalf of Mr. Farber.

Jackson County has taken an important step in the right direction to stop the unconstitutional practice of shackling pregnant women while they are in labor. Nearly eight months after Megon Riedel filed her lawsuit against Jackson County and three correctional officers, the case has settled. Ms. Riedel had been shackled, chained and transported by van nearly 200 miles across state while she was in labor. Ms. Riedel sued Jackson County and three Jackson County Detention Center employees. She was represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri.

Jeffrey Mittman, Executive Director of ACLU of Missouri, issued the following statement regarding the Missouri General Assembly passing government-issued photo ID legislation that could make it harder for up to 200,000 Missourians to vote:

Jeffrey Mittman, Executive Director of ACLU of Missouri, issued the following statement after anti-LGBT bill SJR 39 was defeated in the Missouri House Emerging Issues Committee: