We litigate when doing so is the most effective way to advance a civil liberties concern. We file lawsuits that will have an impact on people’s rights by setting a legal precedent or affecting the policies and actions of public officials. We provide direct legal representation to individuals and file amicus (friend-of-the-court) briefs addressing civil liberties issues in cases initiated by others. Our legal work is pro bono: we never charge for our services.
Together with the National ACLU, the ACLU of South Carolina has been investigating alleged violations of the constitutional rights of criminal defendants and individuals who are incarcerated at the Spartanburg County Detention Center.
This case presents an important question about the extent of Fourth Amendment privacy rights in the digital age, where the use of mobile devices is widespread.
Update 10/07/2016:
Victory!
The American Civil Liberties Union filed suit on June 15, 2014 in federal court seeking an injunction against further use of a malapportioned districting plan for the Jasper County School District in South Carolina.
South Carolina has been issuing marriage licenses to same sex couples since November 2014, but the Social Security Administration has failed to issue instructions authorizing its clerks to accept these licenses from South Carolina.