News Releases

January 23 - Update:  The jury today reached a verdict and ruled in favor of the City of Tacoma.  No decision has been made yet as to whether to appeal the case. Suit Says Police Actions Aimed to Prevent Peaceful Protest The ACLU-WA is representing six citizens who are suing over violations of their rights to free speech and assembly by police at anti-war demonstrations at the Port of Tacoma. A jury trial in the case began in federal district court in Tacoma on January 7.

Passed by Washington’s voters with an 11-point margin, Initiative 502 went into effect on December 6. The measure is an historic step in reforming our state’s marijuana policies and its criminal justice system. Adults no longer are subject to arrest for possessing small amounts of marijuana for personal use under state law.

At a press conference in the State Capitol, family members of murder victims talked about why the death penalty does not meet their needs. They urged passage of legislation to replace the death penalty in Washington with life in prison without parole.

On December 6th, one month after Washington voters approved the state’s marriage equality law, same-sex couples in Washington state will be able to apply for marriage licenses.  Washingtonians backed Referendum 74 on Election Day by a margin of 7.4 points.

The ACLU of Washington hails the passage of Initiative 502, which legalizes, taxes, and regulates small quantities of marijuana for adults age 21 and older. We look forward to working with state and federal officials and New Approach Washington sponsors to ensure the law is fully and fairly implemented.  

A veterans group which has marched in Auburn’s Veterans Day Parade for the past six years is suing to march in the 2012 parade. The group says that the city of Auburn officials are violating free speech rights by unfairly denying its application to march in the civic celebration.

The Pierce County Jail is adopting new policies to protect the religious freedom of inmates, according to a settlement agreement announced today by the ACLU of Washington and the Public Interest Law Group, PLLC (PILG).  The settlement is a result of a lawsuit that challenged jail officials’ failure to accommodate the religious needs of Muslim inmates and their operation of a program that granted extra benefits and services to Christian inmates. The ACLU-WA and PILG filed the suit (Tarrer v. Pierce County) in U.S. District Court in Tacoma in September 2010 on behalf of inmates at the jail.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit heard oral arguments in a lawsuit seeking to uphold the Seattle Middle East Awareness Campaign’s free speech rights on Metro buses. It is when we are faced with speech which is upsetting to some people that support of the First Amendment is most important.

The Seattle’s park permitting law gives officials too much arbitrary discretion in granting or denying applications. It needs to be changed to meet constitutional standards.   

A federal judge issued an order denying the government’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit targeting unlawful U.S. Border Patrol actions in the Olympic Peninsula. The lawsuit seeks to end the Border Patrol’s practice of stopping vehicles and interrogating occupants without legal justification.