Court Cases
Kirk v. Carpeneti
In Kirk v. Carpeneti, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals will determine if Alaska’s judicial selection system violates the federal Equal Protection Clause. The Brennan Center filed an amicus brief in the Ninth Circuit, defending Alaska’s merit selection system.
– 03/11/10
Doe v. Reed (Amicus Brief)
In Doe v. Reed the Supreme Court will decide if the state of Washington can mandate the disclosure of the names of citizens who sign petitions for ballot initiatives. In an amicus brief that supports neither side, the Brennan Center for Justice urges the Supreme Court to craft a resolution to the case without impinging upon existing constitutional doctrine regarding disclosure laws in the sphere of money in politics.
– 03/05/10
Hurrell-Harring, et al. v. State of New York (Amicus Brief)
The Brennan Center co-authored an amicus brief signed by 62 former prosecutors in support of a suit that challenges New York’s indigent defense system.
– 02/05/10
Common Cause of Colorado, et al. v. Buescher
A coalition of voting rights groups sued the Colorado Secretary of State Mike Coffman (who, upon leaving office, was replaced by Brian Buescher) claiming he illegally removed over 27,000 voters from the rolls. They filed a temporary restraining order to get those names reinstated and to ensure additional names cannot be removed before Election Day.
– 01/22/10
Citizens United v. FEC (Amicus Brief)
The Brennan Center for Justice - serving as counsel for itself and several new media journalists - filed a supplemental amicus curiae brief in Citizens United v. FEC. The brief urged the Supreme Court to preserve landmark precedents that support limits on corporate spending in elections.
– 01/21/10
Farrakhan v. Gregoire
The Ninth Circuit held that Washington’s criminal disenfranchisement law violates the Voting Rights Act. The decision is the first in the country to find that, due to racial discrimination in the state’s criminal justice system, the felony disenfranchisement law results in the denial of the right to vote on account of race.
– 01/05/10
Green Party of Connecticut v. Jeffrey Garfield
In 2005, the Connecticut General Assembly became the first state legislature in the nation to pass a full public financing law that applies to its own campaigns. The Brennan Center is helping to defend this system and Connecticut’s ban on campaign contributions from lobbyists and state contractors.
– Ongoing
AOSI v. USAID
The Brennan Center is challenging funding restrictions put on organizations that receive Global AIDS Act funding.
– Ongoing
Amnesty Int’l v. Blair (Amicus Brief)
In December of 2008 and 2009, the Brennan Center for Justice filed supplemental amici in Amnesty v. Blair. The first brief urged the court to overturn the FISA Amendments Act (FAA)—a law that enables the government to monitor Americans’ international emails and phone calls; the second, not to dismiss the suit.
– 12/23/09
SpeechNow v. FEC (Amicus Brief)
The Brennan Center for Justice has submitted an amicus brief supporting the District Court decision to reject the constitutional challenge of Plaintiffs to contribution limits for organizations whose major purpose is the election or defeat of candidates for federal office.
– 12/21/09