News & Commentary

Late yesterday afternoon, the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri filed a lawsuit against the city of Springfield, Missouri, on behalf of Free the Nipple—Springfield Residents Promoting Equality. The group is challenging a new indecent exposure law that is so vague it could prohibit breast-feeding of children in public.

Statement from Sarah Rossi, ACLU of Missouri director of advocacy and policy, regarding today's Pittman decision:

John Roe was selected to be the foreperson of the Grand Jury of St. Louis County for the September 2015 term and served in that capacity for two weeks. That’s when Judge Steven H. Goldman, at the request of Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch, removed Roe even though he met all of the requirements and no misconduct is alleged. On October 16, the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri asked the Missouri Court of Appeals to review the decision to remove Roe.

Megon Riedel, in her final weeks of pregnancy, was shackled, chained and transported by van nearly 200 miles across state while she was in active labor. Today, with the help of the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri, she is suing Jackson County and three Jackson County Detention Center (JCDC) correctional officers.

Three students who have had their college or university costs explode this semester filed suits on October 13, 2015, against the University of Missouri, St. Louis Community College and the Metropolitan Community College in Kansas City. All three students, who are living and working with permission in the United States under the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri. The ACLU filed three separate lawsuits in Columbia, Kansas City and St. Louis, against the students’ schools, which have illegally inflated their tuition rates.

The ACLU of Missouri has been making news. Use the links below to see a compilation of articles, stories and blogs.

On September 29, the St. Louis County Council will consider the final passage of bill affecting a residential rental property licensing code.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri filed a civil rights lawsuit on Sept. 24, 2015, on behalf of Piedmont residents Tina Warren and her son Bryan Jeffers. They have been harassed repeatedly by government officials since Ms. Warren began expressing her disgust with the mayor by flipping him her middle finger.

SPRINGFIELD, MO – Richard Hill, a Bolivar resident who protested Bolivar’s panhandling ordinance by carrying a sign that read “I NEED MONEY,” now has the support of the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri. Today they filed a federal lawsuit against the city for its unconstitutional panhandling ordinance enacted in March.