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(UPDATED 9/11/07) Cooper v. United States Postal Service (U.S. District Court): This case is an Establishment Clause challenge to the USPS’s contract with a Connecticut corporation run by a church to offer traditional post office services to the public. Suzanne Wachsstock of Wiggin and Dana is assisting as cooperating counsel. Post Office Case Ruling (161K PDF) Corcoran v. German Social Society (Connecticut Appellate Court): We filed an appeal from the denial of our claims on behalf of a Mystic woman denied membership in a local social/dining club because of her gender. Other than its exclusion of women from membership, the club is open to the general public. The ACLU Women’s Rights Project is assisting as co-counsel. Disclosure of customer calling information (Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control): In May 2006, the ACLU-CT filed a complaint with the DPUC requesting an investigation into AT&T and Verizon’s reported disclosure of private calling information of Connecticut customers to the National Security Agency without court orders, warrants or subpoenas. The Attorney General’s office and the Office of Consumer Counsel intervened in support of the ACLU-CT. The DPUC recently denied AT&T’s motion to dismiss and the DPUC will hold a public hearing on September 21, 2006. Andrew Schatz, Wayne Boulton and Seth Klein of Schatz & Nobel, PC are assisting as cooperating counsel. DPUC & other states opinion Flores v. City of Hartford (U.S. District Court): Defendant’s summary judgment motion was partially denied in this challenge brought on behalf of a man who was mistakenly stopped for a crime with which he was not involved and assaulted by the police. James DeDonato and Jason Welch are assisting as cooperating counsel. Greens v. Garfield (U.S. District Court): In July, the ACLU-CT filed a Complaint on behalf of several plaintiffs challenging portions of the state’s new campaign financing law. Under the law, minor party candidates will not be able to qualify for public financing of their campaigns, and lobbyists, state contractors and their immediate family members are completely barred from contributing to candidates for state legislative and executive office. Mark Lopez and Jonathan Miller of the ACLU is co-counsel. Campaign Finance Complaint 170K PDF
High school journalism: We sent a letter to the West Hartford Board of Education stating our opposition to a proposal by the school superintendent urging implementation of a new policy governing school-sponsored student publications. The proposed changes would unconstitutionally limit the free speech rights of students. We have been successful thus far in preventing implementation of such a policy. Martin Margulies assisted as cooperating attorney. School Policies 20K PDF Kerrigan v. Connecticut Department of Public Health (Connecticut Appellate Court): Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders and the ACLU-CT have appealed the denial of claims brought on behalf of eight lesbian and gay couples seeking the right to marry under Connecticut law. Maureen Murphy of Murphy, Murphy & Nugent, LLC and Kenneth J. Bartschi and Karen Dowd of Horton, Shields & Knox, P.C. are assisting as cooperating counsel. Read Details: Office of Protection & Advocacy v. Choinski (U.S. District Court): The ACLU-CT is responsible for monitoring compliance with a 2005 consent order governing the treatment of mentally ill prisoners at Northern Correctional Institution (Connecticut’s “supermax” facility) and Garner Correctional, which houses many mentally ill inmates. The complaint, brought on behalf of the Office of Protection and Advocacy, claims that the stark and isolating conditions at the supermax prison exacerbate the condition of prisoners with mental illness, and that DOC mental health facilities and treatment procedures are inadequate. Ben Solnit of Tyler, Cooper & Alcorn, LLP is assisting as cooperating attorney and the ACLU National Prison Project is assisting as co-counsel. West v. Manson (U.S. District Court): The ACLU-CT is responsible for monitoring compliance with a 1988 consent order governing conditions at the women’s prison at Niantic. Most recently, we have focused on inadequate mental health care at the facility. Lynn Cochrane of Greater Hartford Legal Aid, Inc. is co-counsel and Andrew Gaillard of Day, Berry & Howard LLP is assisting as cooperating attorney.
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