The ACLU of Washington recently filed friend of the court briefs in three cases urging the Washington Supreme Court to align the law with developments in brain science.

State Supreme Court Rules Courts Cannot Demand LFOs from People Eking out a Living on Government Benefits

Published:

Thursday, September 22, 2016

The Washington Supreme Court has reversed a lower court order that sought to collect discretionary legal financial obligations (LFOs, or court-imposed fees) from an indigent woman struggling to meet her basic living needs on social security disability payments.

Opinion - Wakefield v Richland & Kennewick

Document, Published:

Thursday, September 22, 2016

Court Document:

Wakefield v. Richland and Kennewick

Humane Treatment Needed in Helping Homeless Find Shelter

Published:

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

An ordinance crafted by the ACLU, Columbia Legal Services, and other allies provides a fair, balanced, and compassionate response to people living without shelter in Seattle.

Task Force Issues Ground-breaking Recommendations for Opiate Epidemic

Published:

Friday, September 16, 2016

A King County task force recently released cutting-edge policy recommendations about how to confront the region’s opiate epidemic. With ACLU-WA participation, the task force is continuing the county’s pioneering work in treating drug abuse as a public health issue, rather than as a criminal matter.

No Money, No Freedom: The Need for Bail Reform

Document, Published:

Friday, September 16, 2016

The ACLU-WA has issued a position paper examining the many harms of jailing of people in Washington before trial when they are unable to pay money bail, and recommending principles for reform.

Ellis v. Clark County - Order on Summary Judgment

Document, Published:

Friday, September 16, 2016

Order Filing ACLU-WA Amicus Brief - State v Zyion Houston-Sconiers

Document, Published:

Friday, September 16, 2016

Two young men serving long sentences in jail for a robbing Halloween trick-or-treaters of candy and an iPhone when they were teens will get new sentences, thanks to a Washington State Supreme Court decision that affirmed that “children are different” and criminal sentences must take their age into account.

Court Document:

State of Washington v. Zyion Houston-Sconiers

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No Money, No Freedom: The Need for Bail Reform

Ellis v. Clark County - Order on Summary Judgment

Order Filing ACLU-WA Amicus Brief - State v Zyion Houston-Sconiers

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