News & Commentary

Blog by Jeffrey A. Mittman, Executive Director of the ACLU of Missouri

KANSAS CITY, MO – The American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri the ACLU secured a win for its Lincoln College Preparatory Academy clients and has dismissed the civil rights lawsuit that was filed against the Kansas City School District alleging that the District violated the students’ First Amendment rights.

Today United States District Judge Brian C. Wimes ordered that any person 18 years of age or older, who is unable to physically travel to a Missouri Recorder of Deeds office because of military service, disability or imprisonment can now obtain a marriage license. This action removes an artificial barrier in a Missouri statute that required both parties appear before a recorder of deeds to obtain a marriage license.

Blog post by Jeffrey Mittman, Executive Director of the ACLU of Missouri

ST. LOUIS – The American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri has filed a Sunshine Law suit against the City of Wellston because the City has failed to respond to the ACLU’s requests for documents pertaining to allegations that city officials have interfered with Wellston Police Department officers doing their jobs.

The Grain Valley Police Department will no longer issue tickets to drivers who flash their headlights to communicate with other drivers. The city of Grain Valley repealed this portion of its ordinance that individuals be ticketed for warning of speed-traps after the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri filed a federal lawsuit on Dec. 3 on behalf of Jerry L. Jarman, Jr. The lawsuit was dismissed today after the parties reached a settlement.

ST. LOUIS – Grand Juror Doe, who served on the grand jury which investigated the killing of Michael Brown by Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson, is suing Robert McCulloch, prosecuting attorney for St. Louis County. Doe would like to talk about the experience of serving on a grand jury, the evidence presented and the investigation in a way that could contribute to the public dialogue concerning race relations.

Today, the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri filed a civil rights lawsuit against the Kansas City School District, because the district violated a student’s First Amendment rights. The suit asks the court to stop punishing the student for participating in a protest.

The American Civil Liberties Union today filed a federal lawsuit against Missouri's Ferguson-Florissant School District, charging the district's electoral system is locking African-Americans out of the political process.