Cases

One of the main ways the ACLU of Illinois works to protect civil liberties and civil rights is through litigation. Litigation remains one of the fundamental tools with which our adept legal team fights for equality and civil rights throughout the state.  This section of our website documents the cases we’re working on now and those we’ve handled in recent years.

If you wish to request legal assistance, please visit our Request Assistance page.

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Dent v. Constellation

The ACLU of Illinois joined Women Employed, the National Women’s Law Center, and 28 other leading public interest organizations in filing an amicus brief before the Illinois Supreme Court in the case of Constellation NewEnergy et al. v.

May 27, 2021

People v. McCavitt

The Fourth Amendment does not allow law enforcement to fish around in people’s electronic devices to see if they can find evidence of a crime.  Instead, they must have a warrant describing the device to be searched and the particular evidence they may search for.  It usually is not fe

March 8, 2021

Finnigan v. Mendrick

We represent Christine Finnigan, a woman diagnosed with opioid use disorder (OUD) who is at risk of painful and life-threatening consequences if she is denied medically necessary, physician-prescribed methadone during an upcoming incarceration at DuPag

February 22, 2021 Institutionalized Persons

Grashoff v. Payne

Excessive fines and fees that unfairly target low-income people are increasingly being used by legislatures and city councils across the country to fill budget gaps.

February 12, 2021