Traffic Stops for Unobstructive License Plate Frames are Pretextual and Cause Constitutional Concern, Rules the NJ Supreme Court

The New Jersey Supreme Court today ruled that traffics stops for unobstructive license plate frames are pretextual and could violate the constitutional rights of individuals. The ACLU of New Jersey appeared as a friend of the court. More »

Court Vacates Charges for Roselle Park Resident Wrongly Cited under Obscenity Ordinance

The Superior Court, Law Division today vacated charges against a Roselle Park resident, represented by the ACLU-NJ, who was cited for violating the town’s obscenity ordinance after displaying signs that read “Fuck Biden” on her property. More »

Win in Juror Discrimination Case Recognizes Harm of Implicit Bias in Jury Selection

Siding with arguments the ACLU-NJ made in a friend-of-the-court brief, the New Jersey Supreme Court issued a ruling in the case State v. Andujar recognizing implicit or unconscious bias on the part of the State in running a criminal check on a potential Black juror to exclude him from a jury. The court also acknowledged the general harms of implicit bias in jury selection and will establish a Judicial Conference on Jury Selection to explore the nature of discrimination in the jury selection process.  More »

In Memoriam: A Tribute to Frank Askin

For more than 50 years, Frank Askin devoted everything within him to the principles of liberty, equality, fairness, and personal freedom. Even a word like devotion doesn’t suffice to capture truly how fully Frank served making the world better. He found creative ways to use intellect, empathy, and rigor to outmaneuver the forces seeking to diminish our freedoms.  More »