Court Cases

Featured Cases

Court Case
Apr 17, 2026
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
Nov 25, 2025
Graphic with the ACLU of Nevada logo on the left and text reading ‘Morais-Hechavarria v. LVMPD’ on the right. In the background, a red and blue tinted photo shows a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department patrol vehicle with its logo visible on the door.
  • Immigrants' Rights

Morais-Hechavarria v. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department

We filed a lawsuit challenging the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s (LVMPD) 287(g) agreement with ICE. That agreement allows ICE to use local law enforcement to assist in carrying out its federal immigration enforcement agenda.
Court Case
Apr 23, 2026
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

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. The ACLU of Nevada filed for a writ of mandamus in a Clark County court in order to force the Clark County School District to release records that the civil rights nonprofit is entitled to. A writ of mandamus is a legal action meant to compel a government actor to follow the law. In February, Durango High School students were attacked by CCSD police for recording officers in the community. Video of the incident captured by a bystander has been shared widely throughout Nevada — including before the Legislature — but despite persistent requests from the news media and others, the school district continues to stonewall the release of public records related to the incident, such as body-worn camera footage and incident reports. Even the ACLU of Nevada, which is representing two teenagers who were attacked in the incident, has been denied the records. In March, the ACLUNV announced it was giving the school district 30 days to comply with the law or the nonprofit would file legal action. CCSD has failed to produce the records for the teenagers’ attorneys. On March 26, 2026, the Nevada Supreme Court ruled that investigative files related to internal investigations are confidential under state law and therefore exempt from disclosure under the Nevada Public Records Act. UPDATE: On April 23, 2026, ACLUNV filed a petition for en banc reconsideration.

All Cases

52 Court Cases
Court Case
Aug 18, 2020
Graphic with a gold and navy 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 “Semper vs. LVMPD” in a bold, serif font.
  • Equal Protection|
  • +1 Issue

Semper, et al. vs. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department

The American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada filed this case on behalf of eleven individuals whose constitutional rights were violated by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and the Rio Hotel. On August 19, 2018, our plaintiffs were having a birthday celebration at the Rio Hotel. Each of the 34 guests in attendance that evening is Black. LVMPD, aided by Rio staff, stormed in with no warrant and no reason to believe that any crime was being committed. Despite having no reasonable suspicion, LVMPD officers handcuffed and searched every single guest in attendance. Each guest was made to sit in the hallway of the Rio handcuffed with no access to food, water, or restroom facilities for up to 6 hours. LVMPD alleged that the birthday party was a “gang party,” but no guest was arrested for any criminal gang activity. We’re suing to end LVMPD’s racially discriminatory practice of indiscriminately and unlawfully detaining and searching individuals in violation of the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments.
Court Case
Mar 31, 2020
Graphic with a red overlay showing a clipboard, a pen, and a stethoscope laid over a medical form. On the left is the white ACLU of Nevada logo. On the right, the text reads “Ramirez v. Culley” in a bold, serif font.
  • Health Equity|
  • +1 Issue

Ramirez v. Culley

The American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada Foundation filed this case to secure the release of two men who are being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Henderson Detention Center. Our plaintiffs are medically vulnerable and at risk of severe illness or even death because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. Constitution requires that detention facilities ensure the health and safety of the people in their care, but these facilities are unable to implement social distancing and other medical best practices to prevent exposure. The people housed at the Henderson Detention Center have already been exposed to COVID-19. Jail officials confirmed on March 28 that 13 individuals held in ICE detention there have been isolated in individual cells after they were transported by an ICE agent who later began to show symptoms of COVID-19. The only remedy to this constitutional issue is to release our plaintiffs. UPDATE: On April 2, 2020, the court dismissed the case.
Court Case
Jun 07, 2019
Graphic with a warm red overlay featuring the Statue of Liberty. On the left is the white ACLU of Nevada logo. On the right, the text reads “Al Falahi v. United States Citizenship and Immigration Service” in a bold, serif font.

Al Falahi v. United States Citizenship and Immigration Service

The ACLU of Nevada and Prudhomme Law Office filed a petition for judicial review on December 16, 2016, with the Nevada District Court on behalf of Mr. Mohammad Al Falahi, seeking a de novo review of the denial of Mr. Al Falahi’s naturalization application by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The petition alleges that Mr. Al Falahi is otherwise eligible for citizenship, but his application was denied solely because USCIS surreptitiously subjected him to the unconstitutional Controlled Application Review Resolution Program (CARRP). CARRP is a little-known, unconstitutional program that disproportionally targets citizenship applicants from Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian communities. Under CARRP, USCIS unjustifiably labels law-abiding citizenship applicants as “national security concerns” based on lawful religious activity, national origin, and innocuous associations. Applications subject to CARRP are subject to substantial delays and are ultimately denied for pretextual reasons, all without ever being told why their applications were treated differently than other applicants.
Court Case
Jul 05, 2018
Graphic with a dark blue overlay showing a clipboard with a medical form, a stethoscope, and a pen. On the left is the white ACLU of Nevada logo. On the right, the text reads “ACLU of Nevada v. Nevada Department of Corrections” in a bold, serif font.

ACLU of Nevada v. Nevada Department of Corrections

The ACLU of Nevada submitted a public records request on June 15th asking for various records relating to lethal injection drugs and the Department of Corrections’ execution protocol, but the Department has refused to release any information prior to this execution. The writ petition seeks to force NDOC to release these records.
Court Case
Dec 18, 2017
Graphic with a red-toned overlay showing silhouettes of a family—adults and children—cast as shadows on a brick wall. On the left is the white ACLU of Nevada logo. On the right, the text reads “Haley v. Prevent Sanctuary Cities” in a bold, serif font.

Haley v. Prevent Sanctuary Cities

The American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada and Perkins Coie LLP on Nov. 21, 2017, filed a lawsuit in the First Judicial District Court challenging State Sen. Michael Roberson’s anti-immigrant ballot initiative. Our clients in this case include a former Nevada sheriff, a civil rights activist, and a nonprofit organization that works with immigrant victims of crime, including domestic violence. The ACLU of Nevada's complaint argues the entire “Prevent Sanctuary Cities Initiative” - from the language of the proposed amendment to the description of effect - is misleading to voters. Even the term “sanctuary cities” is deceptive, pejorative, and lacks a legal definition. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for the morning of Jan. 5, 2018, in Carson City. Update: On May 16, 2018, the Nevada Supreme Court issued a favorable ruling, affirming in part, reversing in part, and remanding.
Court Case
Nov 02, 2017
Graphic with a muted green overlay showing a simple balance scale. On the left is the white ACLU of Nevada logo. On the right, the text reads “Davis v. Nevada” in a bold, serif font.

Davis v. Nevada

UPDATE: On Aug. 3, the judge presiding over Davis v. Nevada has approved a stipulated consent judgment which will build upon last year’s legislative reform and ensure a true overhaul of the state’s public defense system. For a minimum of three years, a court-appointed monitor will ensure that Nevada complies with the terms of the judgment and fulfills its constitutional duty to guarantee the right to counsel for all. View the Notice of Settlement
Court Case
Aug 27, 2015
Graphic with a cool blue overlay featuring the Statue of Liberty against a cloudy sky. On the left is the white ACLU of Nevada logo. On the right, the text reads “Duncan v. Nevada” in a bold, serif font.

Duncan v. Nevada

The lawsuit, filed on behalf of a group of parents, clergy, and other taxpayers, sought to prevent the state from diverting taxpayer dollars to primarily religious private schools. There were no restrictions on how participating schools, a majority of which are religious, could use the money: Many of the schools eligible to participate in the program use thoroughly religious curricula and textbooks; many require students, parents, or employees to be of a certain faith, attend a certain church, or sign pledges of faith; many of the schools also discriminate against LGBT students or employees and those who have had an abortion; and at least one school eligible to participate in the program uses corporal punishment to discipline students. We filed suit in District Court for Clark County, Nevada, in August 2015, arguing that the voucher program violated the Nevada Constitution’s prohibition on the use of public funds for any sectarian purpose and the state constitutional guarantee of a uniform system of common schools. The district court judge granted the state’s motion to dismiss and we appealed. In September 2016, the Nevada Supreme Court struck down the voucher program, holding that the legislature’s mechanism for funding the program violated the state constitution.