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Court Cases

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Featured Cases

Court Case
Aug 15, 2025
Graphic with a maroon overlay featuring the statue of Lady Justice holding scales in the background. On the left is the white ACLU of Nevada logo. On the right, separated by a vertical white line, the text reads “ACLU of Nevada v. Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles” in a bold, serif font.
  • First Amendment|
  • +1 Issue

ACLU of Nevada v. Department of Motor Vehicles

We’re suing the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) for violating Nevada’s public records laws by refusing to release records related to their communications with ICE.
Court Case
Jul 09, 2025
Graphic with a dark blue and red overlay featuring a police car with flashing lights in a city at night. On the left, the white ACLU of Nevada logo appears. On the right, the text reads “ACLU of Nevada v. LVMPD” in a bold, serif font, divided by a vertical white line.
  • Smart Justice|
  • +1 Issue

ACLU of Nevada v. LVMPD

We are suing the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department to get public records about the full extent of its involvement with federal immigration enforcement.
Court Case
Apr 19, 2023
Graphic with a dark blue and red overlay showing a school bus parked on a suburban street. On the left is the white ACLU of Nevada logo. On the right, separated by a vertical white line, the text reads “ACLU of Nevada v. CCSD” in a bold, serif font.
  • First Amendment|
  • +1 Issue

ACLU of Nevada v. Clark County School District

In February, Durango High School students were attacked by CCSD police, and video of the incident was captured by a bystander. CCSD continues to stonewall the release of public records related to the incident. The ACLU of Nevada is representing two of the students attacked in the incident.

All Cases

34 Court Cases
Court Case
May 26, 2025
Graphic with a green overlay showing students raising graduation caps in celebration. On the left is the white ACLU of Nevada logo. On the right, separated by a vertical white line, the text reads “ACLU of Nevada v. CCSD” in a bold, serif font.
  • First Amendment|
  • +2 Issues

ACLU of Nevada v Clark County School District

As Southern Nevada high school seniors headed toward graduation, many of the students were at risk of having their First Amendment rights violated under a Clark County School District policy adopted in March that added new restrictions on cap and gown decorations and banned objects and adornments that “constitute proselytizing speech.” Our civil rights attorneys say that the policy has led to individual schools creating their own guidelines, which even contradict themselves. The complaint says, for example, that Canyon Springs High School and Del Sol Academy have communicated both that all cap decorations will be banned and that students can adorn their caps with decorations that have religious or cultural significance. Las Vegas High School is going even further and requiring students to submit pictures of decorations and accessories for advanced approval.
Court Case
Dec 30, 2024
Graphic with a blue overlay featuring a judge’s gavel resting beside a balance scale. On the left is the white ACLU of Nevada logo. On the right, separated by a vertical white line, the text reads “Singh v. Nissan Moto Co.” in a bold, serif font.
  • People Impacted by Discrimination

Singh v. Nissan Moto Co. (Amicus)

The ACLU of Nevada filed an amicus brief urging the Nevada Supreme Court to strengthen its interpretation of the Equal Rights Amendment to prevent racial discrimination within the courts. A Batson challenge is an objection raised by a lawyer during jury selection when they believe the other side is excluding a potential juror because of their race. Under the Nevada Supreme Court decision in Dixon v. State, Batson challenges are not applicable when the excluded juror is an alternate who did not actively deliberate. Our amicus argues that the Batson process should prohibit a party from striking a juror if that party offers a race-based justification, even if that juror would have been an uncalled alternate. Ultimately, the panel of judges decided that it was a harmless error, a decision unfavorable to our amicus brief.
Court Case
Dec 09, 2024
Graphic with a red and blue overlay showing a street sign for “Las Vegas Blvd 3700” and a traffic light in the foreground. On the left is the white ACLU of Nevada logo. On the right, separated by a vertical white line, the text reads “Ramsay v. State of Nevada” in a bold, serif font.
  • First Amendment

Ramsay v. State of Nevada

A Clark County court is banning people from the “Resort Corridor,” an expansive geographical area defined by Clark County ordinances, as a condition of probation without explanation or analysis for why this condition was imposed. The probation condition infringes upon the First Amendment right to access a traditional public forum and the right to intrastate travel, protected in the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Probation conditions that restrict fundamental rights activities are only justified if they are directly tied to a permissible objective for probation, and the restriction is no greater than reasonably necessary to meet that objective. In imposing this probation condition, a Clark County court failed to satisfy both obligations. Another concern raised in the amicus brief is that the streets and roadways throughout the "Resort Corridor" are public sidewalks and roadways that have historically been used for public assembly and debate.
Court Case
Nov 20, 2024
Graphic with a red and purple overlay showing close-up sections of printed election ballots in English and Spanish. On the left is the white ACLU of Nevada logo. On the right, the text reads “RNC v. Burgess” in a bold, serif font.
  • Voting Rights

Republican National Committee v. Burgess

Nevada's "mailbox deadline" allows mail ballots received up to four business days after Election Day to be counted to account for the practical shortcomings of USPS policies and practices. For example, postmarks are not required on all mailings and are designed to prevent reuse of postage, and mail ballot postmarks may become smudged or illegible. To prevent arbitrary disenfranchisement of voters, mail ballots received by 5 p.m. on the third day after election day that are not clearly postmarked by Election Day are still counted. The Republican National Committee (RNC) claims that this deadline violates federal law because there is only one specific day recognized by federal law as the national election day. We filed an amicus brief asking the court to dismiss the case as Nevada's "mailbox deadline" is a valid exercise of the state's delegated authority over federal elections by the Electoral Count Reform Act, which does not prohibit state laws that allow for timely cast ballots to be received and counted in the days following the election. Furthermore, there are also no federal laws prohibiting or conflicting with Nevada's Mailbox Deadline Laws.
Court Case
Oct 10, 2024
Graphic with a red and blue overlay featuring a close-up of a document showing the words “1st Amendment” and part of a U.S. flag in the background. A pen lies across the page. On the left is the white ACLU of Nevada logo. On the right, separated by a vertical white line, the text reads “New York Times v. 2nd Judicial District Court and Does” in a bold, serif font.
  • First Amendment

New York Times v. 2nd Judicial District Court and Does (Amicus)

In NYT v. Second Judicial District Court, multiple national media organizations, including The New York Times, CNN, NPR, and others, challenged a Nevada district court’s decision to seal nearly all hearings and filings in a high-profile case related to Rupert Murdoch’s trust. The district court’s ruling directly contradicts the Nevada Supreme Court’s interpretation of the First Amendment right to access civil proceedings found in Falconi v. Eighth Judicial District Court. The ACLU of Nevada, in partnership with Holland and Hart, filed an amicus brief urging the Nevada Supreme Court to reverse the lower court’s decision and affirm the public’s constitutional right to access court proceedings.
Court Case
Oct 08, 2024
Graphic with a blue overlay showing a close-up of a person’s hand holding prayer beads. On the left is the white ACLU of Nevada logo. On the right, separated by a vertical white line, the text reads “Griffin v. LVMPD” in a bold, serif font.
  • First Amendment|
  • +1 Issue

Griffin v. LVMPD

In May 2024, Laura Griffin, a Muslim woman, was forcibly removed from her home by LVMPD during an eviction. While being arrested, Ms. Griffin explained she is Muslim and repeatedly asked for and was denied her religious head covering. During the course of her arrest, transport, and booking, Ms. Griffin requested her head covering over three dozen times. Officers not only ignored her requests but also actively denied her access to her head covering, even when it was brought to the police station by her son. The ACLU of Nevada filed a lawsuit against LVMPD for violating Ms. Griffin’s rights under the U.S. Constitution. In addition to providing damages for the harm caused to Ms. Griffin, the LVMPD adopted policies and provided training to ensure that people who are arrested are afforded religious accommodations and that such mistreatment does not happen again.  
Court Case
Oct 02, 2024
Graphic with a red and purple overlay showing a close-up of a marked election ballot with checkboxes and a pen. On the left is the white ACLU of Nevada logo. On the right, separated by a vertical white line, the text reads “Citizen Outreach Foundation v. Lorena Portillo” in a bold, serif font.
  • Voting Rights

Citizen Outreach Foundation v. Lorena Portillo

Citizen Outreach Foundation seeks to remove over 19,000 registered voters from the Clark County voter rolls ahead of the November 2024 presidential election. The removals are based on National Change of Address (NCOA) data, which they claim shows these individuals are no longer residing at their registered addresses. The ACLU of Nevada (ACLUNV) has filed a motion to intervene in the case, arguing that removing voters based solely on NCOA data violates both federal and state laws, which prevent systemic voter roll maintenance within 90 days of an election. The ACLU also argues that these challenges do not meet the requirements under Nevada law. At least fourteen ACLU members are among the voters being challenged. If the requested relief is granted, thousands of eligible voters could be wrongfully purged from the voter rolls, impairing their right to vote by mail or altogether disenfranchising them just weeks before the election. The organization further asserts that such a decision would set a dangerous precedent, leading to mass, arbitrary voter challenges. ACLUNV seeks to ensure that the voter roll maintenance laws are followed, safeguarding the right to vote for all eligible voters in Clark County.
Court Case
Oct 01, 2024
Graphic with a red and purple overlay showing blurred election-related documents in the background. On the left is the white ACLU of Nevada logo. On the right, separated by a vertical white line, the text reads “Citizen Outreach Foundation v. Cari-Ann Burgess” in a bold, serif font.
  • Voting Rights

Citizen Outreach Foundation v. Cari-Ann Burgess

The ACLU of Nevada has filed a motion to intervene in a lawsuit filed by the Citizen Outreach Foundation. The lawsuit seeks to remove over 19,000 registered voters from the voter rolls in Clark County, seven of whom are ACLUNV members. The challenge is based on the use of the National Change of Address (NCOA) database, which the petitioners claim indicates that these voters no longer reside at their registered addresses. The ACLU of Nevada argues that this method of challenging voter eligibility is unlawful under both state and federal law, particularly because such voter roll purges cannot be conducted within 90 days of an election. Furthermore, the organization argues that removing voters solely based on NCOA data without personal knowledge of their residency violates Nevada’s legal standards. The ACLU is intervening to protect their right to vote and prevent unlawful disenfranchisement just weeks before the November 2024 presidential election.
Court Case
Sep 26, 2024
Graphic with a red and blue overlay featuring a low-angle view of a courthouse with tall, classical columns. On the left is the white ACLU of Nevada logo. On the right, separated by a vertical white line, the text reads “Spencer v. City of Henderson” in a bold, serif font.
  • People Impacted by Discrimination

Spencer v. City of Henderson (Amicus)

The ACLU of Nevada and Nevada Attorneys for Criminal Justice filed an amicus brief in Song Spencer & James Spencer v. City of Henderson, urging the Nevada Supreme Court to allow people to recover attorney’s fees as special damages in successful challenges in civil asset forfeiture cases when the government wrongfully seizes their property. Our amicus brief argues that Nevada law already allows recovery of attorney’s fees in cases when warranted, even when there is no law directly on point, and that principle should apply here, when someone is forced to sue the government to get their own property back. This case is a challenge to the constitutionality of civil forfeiture laws.
Court Case
May 26, 2025
Graphic with a green overlay showing students raising graduation caps in celebration. On the left is the white ACLU of Nevada logo. On the right, separated by a vertical white line, the text reads “ACLU of Nevada v. CCSD” in a bold, serif font.
Court Case
May 26, 2025
  • First Amendment|
  • +2 Issues

ACLU of Nevada v Clark County School District

As Southern Nevada high school seniors headed toward graduation, many of the students were at risk of having their First Amendment rights violated under a Clark County School District policy adopted in March that added new restrictions on cap and gown decorations and banned objects and adornments that “constitute proselytizing speech.” Our civil rights attorneys say that the policy has led to individual schools creating their own guidelines, which even contradict themselves. The complaint says, for example, that Canyon Springs High School and Del Sol Academy have communicated both that all cap decorations will be banned and that students can adorn their caps with decorations that have religious or cultural significance. Las Vegas High School is going even further and requiring students to submit pictures of decorations and accessories for advanced approval.
Explore Case
Court Case
Dec 30, 2024
Graphic with a blue overlay featuring a judge’s gavel resting beside a balance scale. On the left is the white ACLU of Nevada logo. On the right, separated by a vertical white line, the text reads “Singh v. Nissan Moto Co.” in a bold, serif font.
Court Case
Dec 30, 2024
  • People Impacted by Discrimination

Singh v. Nissan Moto Co. (Amicus)

The ACLU of Nevada filed an amicus brief urging the Nevada Supreme Court to strengthen its interpretation of the Equal Rights Amendment to prevent racial discrimination within the courts. A Batson challenge is an objection raised by a lawyer during jury selection when they believe the other side is excluding a potential juror because of their race. Under the Nevada Supreme Court decision in Dixon v. State, Batson challenges are not applicable when the excluded juror is an alternate who did not actively deliberate. Our amicus argues that the Batson process should prohibit a party from striking a juror if that party offers a race-based justification, even if that juror would have been an uncalled alternate. Ultimately, the panel of judges decided that it was a harmless error, a decision unfavorable to our amicus brief.
Explore Case
Court Case
Dec 09, 2024
Graphic with a red and blue overlay showing a street sign for “Las Vegas Blvd 3700” and a traffic light in the foreground. On the left is the white ACLU of Nevada logo. On the right, separated by a vertical white line, the text reads “Ramsay v. State of Nevada” in a bold, serif font.
Court Case
Dec 09, 2024
  • First Amendment

Ramsay v. State of Nevada

A Clark County court is banning people from the “Resort Corridor,” an expansive geographical area defined by Clark County ordinances, as a condition of probation without explanation or analysis for why this condition was imposed. The probation condition infringes upon the First Amendment right to access a traditional public forum and the right to intrastate travel, protected in the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Probation conditions that restrict fundamental rights activities are only justified if they are directly tied to a permissible objective for probation, and the restriction is no greater than reasonably necessary to meet that objective. In imposing this probation condition, a Clark County court failed to satisfy both obligations. Another concern raised in the amicus brief is that the streets and roadways throughout the "Resort Corridor" are public sidewalks and roadways that have historically been used for public assembly and debate.
Explore Case
Court Case
Nov 20, 2024
Graphic with a red and purple overlay showing close-up sections of printed election ballots in English and Spanish. On the left is the white ACLU of Nevada logo. On the right, the text reads “RNC v. Burgess” in a bold, serif font.
Court Case
Nov 20, 2024
  • Voting Rights

Republican National Committee v. Burgess

Nevada's "mailbox deadline" allows mail ballots received up to four business days after Election Day to be counted to account for the practical shortcomings of USPS policies and practices. For example, postmarks are not required on all mailings and are designed to prevent reuse of postage, and mail ballot postmarks may become smudged or illegible. To prevent arbitrary disenfranchisement of voters, mail ballots received by 5 p.m. on the third day after election day that are not clearly postmarked by Election Day are still counted. The Republican National Committee (RNC) claims that this deadline violates federal law because there is only one specific day recognized by federal law as the national election day. We filed an amicus brief asking the court to dismiss the case as Nevada's "mailbox deadline" is a valid exercise of the state's delegated authority over federal elections by the Electoral Count Reform Act, which does not prohibit state laws that allow for timely cast ballots to be received and counted in the days following the election. Furthermore, there are also no federal laws prohibiting or conflicting with Nevada's Mailbox Deadline Laws.
Explore Case
Court Case
Oct 10, 2024
Graphic with a red and blue overlay featuring a close-up of a document showing the words “1st Amendment” and part of a U.S. flag in the background. A pen lies across the page. On the left is the white ACLU of Nevada logo. On the right, separated by a vertical white line, the text reads “New York Times v. 2nd Judicial District Court and Does” in a bold, serif font.
Court Case
Oct 10, 2024
  • First Amendment

New York Times v. 2nd Judicial District Court and Does (Amicus)

In NYT v. Second Judicial District Court, multiple national media organizations, including The New York Times, CNN, NPR, and others, challenged a Nevada district court’s decision to seal nearly all hearings and filings in a high-profile case related to Rupert Murdoch’s trust. The district court’s ruling directly contradicts the Nevada Supreme Court’s interpretation of the First Amendment right to access civil proceedings found in Falconi v. Eighth Judicial District Court. The ACLU of Nevada, in partnership with Holland and Hart, filed an amicus brief urging the Nevada Supreme Court to reverse the lower court’s decision and affirm the public’s constitutional right to access court proceedings.
Explore Case
Court Case
Oct 08, 2024
Graphic with a blue overlay showing a close-up of a person’s hand holding prayer beads. On the left is the white ACLU of Nevada logo. On the right, separated by a vertical white line, the text reads “Griffin v. LVMPD” in a bold, serif font.
Court Case
Oct 08, 2024
  • First Amendment|
  • +1 Issue

Griffin v. LVMPD

In May 2024, Laura Griffin, a Muslim woman, was forcibly removed from her home by LVMPD during an eviction. While being arrested, Ms. Griffin explained she is Muslim and repeatedly asked for and was denied her religious head covering. During the course of her arrest, transport, and booking, Ms. Griffin requested her head covering over three dozen times. Officers not only ignored her requests but also actively denied her access to her head covering, even when it was brought to the police station by her son. The ACLU of Nevada filed a lawsuit against LVMPD for violating Ms. Griffin’s rights under the U.S. Constitution. In addition to providing damages for the harm caused to Ms. Griffin, the LVMPD adopted policies and provided training to ensure that people who are arrested are afforded religious accommodations and that such mistreatment does not happen again.  
Explore Case
Court Case
Oct 02, 2024
Graphic with a red and purple overlay showing a close-up of a marked election ballot with checkboxes and a pen. On the left is the white ACLU of Nevada logo. On the right, separated by a vertical white line, the text reads “Citizen Outreach Foundation v. Lorena Portillo” in a bold, serif font.
Court Case
Oct 02, 2024
  • Voting Rights

Citizen Outreach Foundation v. Lorena Portillo

Citizen Outreach Foundation seeks to remove over 19,000 registered voters from the Clark County voter rolls ahead of the November 2024 presidential election. The removals are based on National Change of Address (NCOA) data, which they claim shows these individuals are no longer residing at their registered addresses. The ACLU of Nevada (ACLUNV) has filed a motion to intervene in the case, arguing that removing voters based solely on NCOA data violates both federal and state laws, which prevent systemic voter roll maintenance within 90 days of an election. The ACLU also argues that these challenges do not meet the requirements under Nevada law. At least fourteen ACLU members are among the voters being challenged. If the requested relief is granted, thousands of eligible voters could be wrongfully purged from the voter rolls, impairing their right to vote by mail or altogether disenfranchising them just weeks before the election. The organization further asserts that such a decision would set a dangerous precedent, leading to mass, arbitrary voter challenges. ACLUNV seeks to ensure that the voter roll maintenance laws are followed, safeguarding the right to vote for all eligible voters in Clark County.
Explore Case
Court Case
Oct 01, 2024
Graphic with a red and purple overlay showing blurred election-related documents in the background. On the left is the white ACLU of Nevada logo. On the right, separated by a vertical white line, the text reads “Citizen Outreach Foundation v. Cari-Ann Burgess” in a bold, serif font.
Court Case
Oct 01, 2024
  • Voting Rights

Citizen Outreach Foundation v. Cari-Ann Burgess

The ACLU of Nevada has filed a motion to intervene in a lawsuit filed by the Citizen Outreach Foundation. The lawsuit seeks to remove over 19,000 registered voters from the voter rolls in Clark County, seven of whom are ACLUNV members. The challenge is based on the use of the National Change of Address (NCOA) database, which the petitioners claim indicates that these voters no longer reside at their registered addresses. The ACLU of Nevada argues that this method of challenging voter eligibility is unlawful under both state and federal law, particularly because such voter roll purges cannot be conducted within 90 days of an election. Furthermore, the organization argues that removing voters solely based on NCOA data without personal knowledge of their residency violates Nevada’s legal standards. The ACLU is intervening to protect their right to vote and prevent unlawful disenfranchisement just weeks before the November 2024 presidential election.
Explore Case
Court Case
Sep 26, 2024
Graphic with a red and blue overlay featuring a low-angle view of a courthouse with tall, classical columns. On the left is the white ACLU of Nevada logo. On the right, separated by a vertical white line, the text reads “Spencer v. City of Henderson” in a bold, serif font.
Court Case
Sep 26, 2024
  • People Impacted by Discrimination

Spencer v. City of Henderson (Amicus)

The ACLU of Nevada and Nevada Attorneys for Criminal Justice filed an amicus brief in Song Spencer & James Spencer v. City of Henderson, urging the Nevada Supreme Court to allow people to recover attorney’s fees as special damages in successful challenges in civil asset forfeiture cases when the government wrongfully seizes their property. Our amicus brief argues that Nevada law already allows recovery of attorney’s fees in cases when warranted, even when there is no law directly on point, and that principle should apply here, when someone is forced to sue the government to get their own property back. This case is a challenge to the constitutionality of civil forfeiture laws.
Explore Case
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