Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

Click here to read our full comments from 2021 on Supreme Court term limits: https://lnkd.in/gYbedEkB

WEBINAR: Artificial Intelligence presents both opportunities and raises concerns. Join us for an enlightening webinar as top legal and tech policy experts delve into the fascinating world of AI and its current and potential impact on law, policy, and our democracy. 🤖📚 Don't miss this exclusive opportunity to gain insights from the experts and be a part of the conversation shaping our future. Register now! https://lnkd.in/eC3phMuJ #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #TechPolicy #Innovation #Technology #Democracy #Webinar

HAPPENING NOW: Lawyers' Committee President and Executive Director, Damon T. Hewitt will be featured on a panel entitled, Presidential Plenary: Election 2024—What's At Stake? DESCRIPTION: As we approach the final weeks of the presidential election, concerns about civil liberties, wage inequality, racial justice, voting rights, and democracy are paramount. Join @naturbanleague for a discussion on these critical issues on the table this Election Day and the steps to take the morning after, regardless of the outcome. Click here to watch live: https://lnkd.in/eYCYKujP

Valley Brook, Oklahoma– The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law announced a settlement agreement with the Town of Valley Brook after a three-year legal battle. The settlement follows a lawsuit filed by the Lawyers’ Committee, Ballard Spahr LLP, and Glass & Tabor LLP in the Western District of Oklahoma that alleged serious violations by the Town of Valley Brook regarding its failure to provide constitutional safeguards for people who were unlawfully jailed for the failure to pay municipal fines and fees, such as traffic tickets. Plaintiffs were not provided access to or advised of their right to counsel. Some were not afforded appearances in court prior to being jailed. None of the individuals were provided any reasonable payment alternatives. Instead, municipal officials and employees threatened people, detained them, and instructed them to contact loved ones for payment to avoid imprisonment. When it became apparent that the individuals could not access these funds, Valley Brook sent them to the Oklahoma County jail. Such practices remain prevalent in other cities across the country, making this settlement a model for other municipalities found to be engaging in similarly unconstitutional violations that disproportionately affect low-income communities and people of color. The terms of the settlement require the Town of Valley Brook to stop violating the longstanding prohibition against unlawful imprisonment for unpaid fines, which amounts to creating a debtors’ prison for poor people. In the settlement, Valley Brook agreed to issue a statement that it, “recognizes that individuals are entitled to certain rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and State of Oklahoma Constitution, including due process and equal protection, and that the Town’s agents and employees are prohibited from violating the same.” Valley Brook agreed to require all current and future officers to take courses on searches and probable cause. In addition, the settlement requires the town to review its policies on Miranda warnings, police traffic stops, and searches (of vehicles and individuals), and submit any proposed revisions to the plaintiffs’ attorneys to review. The city must also provide information to counsel over the course of three years, including the number of people that are sent to county jail and make recordings of each court session available for five years. Click here to read the full press release: https://lnkd.in/gpq-vcku

Artificial Intelligence presents both opportunities and raises concerns. Learn what you need to know about AI from the experts: Chiraag Bains, senior fellow at Democracy Fund and nonresident senior fellow with Brookings Metro, Miranda Bogen, Director of the Center for Democracy & Technology's AI Governance Lab; David Brody, Managing Attorney of the Digital Justice Initiative at the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law; and Spencer Overton, the Patricia Roberts Harris Research Professor of Law at the George Washington University. The panel will be moderated by Jon Greenbaum, Founder of Justice Legal Strategies. Click here to register: https://lnkd.in/eC3phMuJ

WASHINGTON—A federal court dismissed SFFA v. UT-Austin, a lawsuit initiated in 2019 by Edward Blum and his anti-civil rights group Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA). The case initially challenged the University of Texas at Austin’s (UT-Austin) race-conscious college admissions policy aimed at fostering a diverse student body and subsequently targeted the University’s revised race-neutral admissions policy. ⁠ ⁠ Following the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in SFFA v. Harvard/ UNC-Chapel Hill undermining the use of race in college admissions programs, UT-Austin eliminated the consideration of race in admissions, aiming to adhere to the newly established legal standards while continuing to foster diversity within its student body through race-neutral means. However, SFFA continued its litigation against UT-Austin, even after the policy shift, contending that the university’s new policy is unlawful, attempting to expand the scope of the Supreme Court ruling. ⁠ ⁠ The ruling marks a defeat of SFFA’s efforts to broaden the implications of the Harvard decision, which set strict guidelines for considering race in college admissions. The decision also is a victory for advocates who continue to fight for diversity and equality on campus in the wake of the ruling. As the district court concluded, the Supreme Court in Harvard specifically noted that “nothing in [its] opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicant’s discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise.” ⁠ ⁠ Click here to read the full press release: https://lnkd.in/eJ9Zb5iR

The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is hiring for the role of Director, Criminal Justice Initiative. Click below to apply: https://lnkd.in/e8tQcz5v

This Wednesday, July 17, marks four years since the passing of civil rights hero John Lewis. Over 80 communities are holding events this Wednesday to honor his legacy and continue the work of strengthening our freedom to vote. Find an event near you:

As we commemorate and reflect on the one-year mark of the Supreme Court decision that ruled against Affirmative Action, it’s important that we establish clarity around the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of students and educators as they navigate the challenges of engaging with diversity within academic spaces. "The Lawyers' Committee team wants to make it crystal clear. Nothing in the Affirmative Action decisions prevents colleges and universities from focusing on DEIA practices. DEIA programs that facilitate a healthy culture and ensure success for all team members remain lawful and more critical than ever. DEIA programs work to target underserved and underrepresented communities, they support affinity groups, and provide anti-discrimination and anti-bias training at all levels. Now is the time to these lawful programs to ensure diversity in college and the workforce. A diverse student body and a diverse workforce benefit everyone." - Mayah Lubin, Higher Education Equity Senior Coordinator

Black communities need Congress to pass clear, comprehensive legislation for artificial intelligence so that this technology stops replicating past discrimination and starts working for all of us. Earlier this week, Lawyers' Committee President and Executive Director Damon Todd Hewitt was pleased to answer questions from the House Bipartisan AI Taskforce about how Congress can protect our civil rights in a future where AI tools are more prevalent than ever.