California
O’Connor-Ratcliff v. Garnier and Lindke v. Freed
The ACLU, the ACLU of Northern California, and the ACLU of Southern California filed amicus briefs in support of everyday people fighting for government transparency and accountability in two cases set for review by the U.S. Supreme Court this Term: O’Connor-Ratcliff v. Garnier and Lindke v. Freed.
Status: Ongoing
View Case
Visit ACLU of Southern California
Visit ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties
Visit ACLU of Northern California
Featured
U.S. Supreme Court
Apr 2022
![FBI v. Fazaga Plaintiffs](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2023/01/Fazaga_scotus-1-Blog-600x400.jpg)
FBI v. Fazaga
In a case scheduled to be argued before the U.S. Supreme Court on November 8, 2021, three Muslim Americans are challenging the FBI’s secret spying on them and their communities based on their religion, in violation of the Constitution and federal law. In what will likely be a landmark case, the plaintiffs — Yassir Fazaga, Ali Uddin Malik, and Yasser Abdelrahim — insist that the FBI cannot escape accountability for violating their religious freedom by invoking “state secrets.” The plaintiffs are represented by the Center for Immigration Law and Policy at UCLA School of Law, the ACLU of Southern California, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Council for American Islamic Relations, and the law firm of Hadsell Stormer Renick & Dai.
Status: Closed (Judgment)
View case
U.S. Supreme Court
Aug 2023
![O’Connor-Ratcliff v. Garnier and Lindke v. Freed](https://www.aclu.dev/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
O’Connor-Ratcliff v. Garnier and Lindke v. Freed
The ACLU, the ACLU of Northern California, and the ACLU of Southern California filed amicus briefs in support of everyday people fighting for government transparency and accountability in two cases set for review by the U.S. Supreme Court this Term: O’Connor-Ratcliff v. Garnier and Lindke v. Freed.
Status: Ongoing
View case
U.S. Supreme Court
Aug 2021
![Border Asylum Line](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2019/09/web19-asylumlinebarbedwire-1160x768-600x397.jpg)
Innovation Law Lab v. Wolf
The American Civil Liberties Union, Southern Poverty Law Center, and Center for Gender & Refugee Studies filed a federal lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s new policy forcing asylum seekers to return to Mexico and remain there while their cases are considered.
Status: Ongoing
View case
California
Mar 2019
![Protester holding "#Black Lives Matter" sign](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2023/01/web19-blm-rally-1160x864-600x447.jpg)
MediaJustice, et al. v. Federal Bureau of Investigation, et al.
On March 21, 2019, the American Civil Liberties Union and MediaJustice, formerly known as "Center for Media Justice," filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit seeking records about FBI targeting of Black activists. The lawsuit enforces the ACLU and MediaJustice’s right to information about a 2017 FBI Intelligence Assessment that asserts, without evidence, that a group of so-called “Black Identity Extremists” poses a threat of domestic terrorism. The Intelligence Assessment was widely disseminated to law enforcement agencies nationwide, raising public concern about government surveillance of Black people and Black-led organizations based on anti-Black stereotypes and First Amendment protected activities.
Status: Ongoing
View case
Stay informed about our latest work in the courts.
By completing this form, I agree to receive occasional emails per the terms of the ACLU's privacy statement.
All Northern California Cases
- Select Affiliate
- Northern California
- Southern California
- San Diego & Imperial Counties
33 Northern California Cases
California
Apr 2024
![California Civil Rights Department v. Cathy's Creations d/b/a Tastries](https://www.aclu.dev/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
California Civil Rights Department v. Cathy's Creations d/b/a Tastries
On April 11, 2024, the ACLU, ACLU of Southern California, ACLU of Northern California, and ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties filed an amicus brief with the California Court of Appeal, Fifth Appellate District supporting the California Civil Rights Department’s appeal of a lower court judgment finding that a bakery owner did not violate the California public accommodations law when she refused to sell a wedding cake to a same-sex couple.
Status: Ongoing
View case
![California Civil Rights Department v. Cathy's Creations d/b/a Tastries](https://www.aclu.dev/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
California
Religious Liberty
LGBTQ Rights
California Civil Rights Department v. Cathy's Creations d/b/a Tastries
On April 11, 2024, the ACLU, ACLU of Southern California, ACLU of Northern California, and ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties filed an amicus brief with the California Court of Appeal, Fifth Appellate District supporting the California Civil Rights Department’s appeal of a lower court judgment finding that a bakery owner did not violate the California public accommodations law when she refused to sell a wedding cake to a same-sex couple.
Apr 2024
Status: Ongoing
View case
California
Feb 2024
![A finger pressign a keyboard.](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2023/10/online-freedom-social-600x314.jpg)
Netchoice, LLC v. Bonta
This amicus brief highlights the constitutional defects of a California law that purports to protect consumer privacy but is actually an impermissible, content-based regulation of online speech. The brief urges that this law should be struck down while emphasizing that the court should rule narrowly and leave paths open for other consumer privacy laws to withstand First Amendment challenge.
Status: Ongoing
View case
![A finger pressign a keyboard.](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2023/10/online-freedom-social-600x314.jpg)
California
Free Speech
Privacy & Technology
Netchoice, LLC v. Bonta
This amicus brief highlights the constitutional defects of a California law that purports to protect consumer privacy but is actually an impermissible, content-based regulation of online speech. The brief urges that this law should be struck down while emphasizing that the court should rule narrowly and leave paths open for other consumer privacy laws to withstand First Amendment challenge.
Feb 2024
Status: Ongoing
View case
California
Oct 2023
![Sacramento Homeless Union v. City of Sacramento](https://www.aclu.dev/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
Sacramento Homeless Union v. City of Sacramento
The ACLU, along with the Northern and Southern California affiliates and four other organizations, filed an amicus brief in the Ninth Circuit supporting affirmance of a preliminary injunction that prevented the City of Sacramento from clearing homeless encampments during periods of extreme heat.
Status: Ongoing
View case
![Sacramento Homeless Union v. City of Sacramento](https://www.aclu.dev/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
California
Criminal Law Reform
Racial Justice
Sacramento Homeless Union v. City of Sacramento
The ACLU, along with the Northern and Southern California affiliates and four other organizations, filed an amicus brief in the Ninth Circuit supporting affirmance of a preliminary injunction that prevented the City of Sacramento from clearing homeless encampments during periods of extreme heat.
Oct 2023
Status: Ongoing
View case
![Liapes v. Facebook, Inc.](https://www.aclu.dev/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
California
Racial Justice
Women's Rights
Liapes v. Facebook, Inc.
Sep 2023
Status: Ongoing
View case
U.S. Supreme Court
May 2023
![Using Laptop](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2019/09/web18-usinglaptop-1160x768-600x397.jpg)
Google v. Gonzalez LLC
The Supreme Court will decide whether social media and other platforms are liable for their users’ posts if they make recommendations or suggestions about what content to access, or whether Section 230 affords them immunity from such claims.
Status: Closed (Judgment)
View case
![Using Laptop](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2019/09/web18-usinglaptop-1160x768-600x397.jpg)
U.S. Supreme Court
Privacy & Technology
Free Speech
Google v. Gonzalez LLC
The Supreme Court will decide whether social media and other platforms are liable for their users’ posts if they make recommendations or suggestions about what content to access, or whether Section 230 affords them immunity from such claims.
May 2023
Status: Closed (Judgment)
View case