Press Releases

Press requests should be directed to media@aclupa.org.

Supreme Court Decision Does Not Create a License to Discriminate

Today in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, the Supreme Court issued a narrow fact-specific ruling that does not create a license to discriminate based on religious beliefs.
Issue Areas: TLGBQIA+ Equality

New Report from ACLU of Pennsylvania Details State Legislature’s Continuing Expansion of Criminal Punishment

The ACLU of Pennsylvania has released a new edition of its report More Law, Less Justice, exposing how Pennsylvania state legislators continue to pass bills that expand the commonwealth’s criminal justice system with an overreliance on punishment. 

Federal Judge Orders New Approach to Eliminate Racial Bias in Stop and Frisk Policing in Philadelphia

On Thursday, a federal judge issued a new order in the decade-long enforcement of the agreement by the city of Philadelphia to end racial bias in stops and frisks by city police officers.

ACLU-PA Response to Allegheny County DA Zappala’s Abuse of Plea Deal Power

Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala has instructed his office to refuse all plea deals for clients of attorney Milton Raiford just days after Mr. Raiford criticized the DA’s office for what he characterized as systematic racism.

ACLU-PA Sues Montgomery County for Denying Its Lawyers Access to People in the Jail

The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania filed a federal lawsuit today alleging that Montgomery County violated the ACLU-PA’s First Amendment rights by denying ACLU lawyers access to people held in the county jail.
Issue Areas: First Amendment Rights

ACLU Statement on Results of Philadelphia District Attorney Primary Election

The American Civil Liberties Union responded this morning after Larry Krasner had secured the Democratic nomination for district attorney in Philadelphia in Tuesday’s primary election.

ACLU-PA Calls on City Council to Support Strong and Well-Funded Citizens Police Oversight Commission

The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania and its Philadelphia chapter will join a chorus of supporters today urging Philadelphia City Council to support a strong and well-funded Citizens Police Oversight Commission, or CPOC.

ACLU Urges U.S. Supreme Court to Protect Students’ First Amendment Rights When They’re Out of School

In a case from Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, an attorney from the American Civil Liberties Union argued before the United States Supreme Court today that public school students should have the right to freely express themselves when they are off-campus and away from school activities.

ACLU-PA Lawsuit Accuses Philadelphia School Board of Violating the Sunshine Act

Two community groups filed suit today against the Board of Education of the School District of Philadelphia, saying that the board’s new policy limiting public comment at meetings violates the state Sunshine Act.