Due to the enormous demand for representation and our limited resources, the ACLU is unable to represent everyone who may have valid legal claims. Every decision regarding representation must meet certain specific guidelines and requires special approval. The ACLU primarily brings lawsuits that raise significant civil liberties issues and impact a large number of people. We protect civil liberties such as freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of association, privacy, equality and due process. Most of the cases we bring are against the government because the Constitution usually applies only to government agencies, not private parties.
Lawsuits can affect a large number of people in two ways.
First, we sometimes challenge a policy or practice which directly impacts on a large number of people. For instance, a state's cutting of funds for abortions from the annual budget directly affects thousands of poor women. Second, a lawsuit brought on behalf of one person can have a large impact on others when it establishes or expands legal protections. Criminal ACLU lawyers might be interested to learn of criminal cases which raise substantial civil liberties concerns. Due to our volume of calls and limited staff, you may get an answering machine.