Racial Justice

The authors of the Declaration of Independence outlined a bold vision for America: a nation in which all people would be free and equal. Yet the forced removal of indigenous peoples and the enslavement of those of African descent marked the beginnings of a system of racial injustice from which our country has yet to break free. Despite important gains made by civil rights activism, the school-to-prison pipeline, mass incarceration, and racial profiling and bias in policing are but a few of the racist injustices that mark the distance between America’s reality and the dream we seek to achieve: liberty and justice for everybody.

Resources

State of Washington v. Pierce et al

The brief details how white jurors paused in answering questions too, but their pause was considered “thoughtfulness” while the African American juror’s pause was used against her.

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Racial Justice

Farrakhan v. Gregoire

In a ground-breaking ruling, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in January 2010 struck down our state constitution’s provision barring felons from voting.

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Racial Justice

Voting Rights

Ockletree v. Franciscan Health

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Economic Justice

Racial Justice

Martinez-Cuevas, et al. v. Deruyter Brothers Dairy, Inc., et al.

Washington Constitution's equal protection clause as providing broader protection than the Fourteenth Amendment. Disparate impact discrimination is discrimination.

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Economic Justice

Racial Justice

Henderson v. Thompson

Addressing the issue of racial bias in the court system.

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Due Process

Racial Justice

Portugal v. Franklin County

Issue regarding a claim that the WVRA creates an unconstitutional racial preference

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Racial Justice

Voting Rights

Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District no. 1

In a friend-of-the-court brief, the ACLU argued that states and school districts should be permitted to carefully craft measures that flexibly use race as one of several factors to eliminate racially and ethnically segregated classrooms.

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Racial Justice

Student Rights

Youth

PRP of Rhone

Amicus brief addressing the discriminatory use of preemptory challenges to strike the only or last remaining member of a cognizable racial group in jury trials resulting in the race-based discrimination that remains pervasive in the criminal legal system.

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Criminal Justice

Due Process

Racial Justice