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Advocacy And Litigation

Advocacy & Litigation

The path to justice requires that we challenge federal, state, and local laws, statutes, and policies to ensure equal protection.

Countdown to Election Day —

CURRENT LITIGATION

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Education Law in South Carolina

On January 10th, the South Carolina Supreme Court denied Intervenor-Respondent Senate President Alexander's motion to dismiss in Eidson, et al. v. South Carolina Department of Education. In his motion to dismiss, Alexander argued that Petitioners' constitutional challenge was not ripe because several contingencies must occur before the Education Scholarship Trust Fund accounts are active.

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Criminal Justice Reform

According to the Complaint, Minnesota's child welfare system's definition of neglect is inextricably linked to poverty, resulting in Black families in Minnesota being over-reported and significantly overrepresented among those who undergo investigations and assessments. From 2021 through the date of this letter, 21 persons have reportedly died while in custody. In 2019, 3,600 people on average were incarcerated in Broward County's four jail facilities on any single day.

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Child Welfare in Minneapolis

On February 29th, the Minneapolis Branch of the NAACP filed a Complaint under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, alleging discrimination by the State of Minnesota. According to the Complaint, Minnesota's child welfare system's definition of neglect is inextricably linked to poverty, resulting in Black families in Minnesota being over-reported and significantly overrepresented among those who undergo investigations and assessments.

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MAKING LAWS WORK FOR US

A thoughtful look at American history reveals that the nation's laws were never meant to serve Black Americans. But we strive to make the laws work for us through litigation at the national and local levels.

Through affirmative litigation, we aim to further our mission to ensure equitable treatment and opportunities when it comes to voting rights, education, economic empowerment, criminal justice, and health, including environmental justice. We initiate lawsuits and join as plaintiffs in state and federal cases.

We have, and will continue to, file cases that fight:

  • Unjust federal, state  local statutes  regulations 

  • Discriminatory policies, practices  procedures

  • Unlawful misconduct by public officers, private individuals, and companies that threaten civil rights

We don't do this work alone. We may partner with other civil rights organizations, law firms, and law schools to secure the resources necessary to assess and prosecute cases.

Recent Filings

We're using the court system to fight efforts to disenfranchise Black voters, hold public officials accountable in the January 6 insurrection, and ensure civil rights. Read more about current cases.

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Apply to be a Law Fellow

The NAACP Office of the General Counsel is seeking six full-time Summer 2023 Law Fellows. Law Fellows will work on a variety of civil rights cases and assist in the planning of the NAACP Legal Advocacy Institute taking place during the NAACP National Convention in July 2023. This fellowship will provide the Fellows with the opportunity to assist with ongoing litigation, develop legal education materials, and work under the supervision of attorneys to protect the NAACP brand.

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Voting Rights Victory

The Indiana NAACP, along with the League of Women Voters of Indiana, challenged Acts 442 and 334 in court and won protection for the state's voters. The two voter purge laws aimed to allow Indiana election officials to cancel voter registrations without communication or compliance with the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) process.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit ruled that Acts 442 and 334 violate the NVRA, which prohibits states from removing voters unless voters opted for removal or by going through the established process of the NVRA.

The coalition filed a suit in YEAR to stop Act 442, which allowed election officials to obtain data from a third-party database to determine voter eligibility in Indiana without notice to the voter. Similarly, Act 334 aimed to use the Indiana Data Enhancement Association (IDEA) to identify duplicate voter registrations and allow election officials to remove a voter from Indiana's voter rolls without proper notification or consent.

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