This case involves a state law prohibiting government workers from receiving spousal benefits if they are married to someone of the same sex. At issue is whether Obergefell, the U.S. Supreme Court case finding prohibitions against same-sex marriage unconstitutional, compels states only to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, or compels states to afford same-sex couples equal treatment under the law, including access to public benefits. The Texas Supreme Court interpreted Obergefell…

This case involves a constitutional challenge to a public school board’s policy of opening meetings with prayer by clergy or board members. Prayers made pursuant to the policy are sectarian and the vast majority of them are Christian in nature. Students have been present or participated at every board meeting since the policy went into effect. Some, such as a student representative who sits on the board and students subject to disciplinary hearings, are required to be at meetings. Others…

At issue in this case is Texas’ SB4, which would effectively commandeer local law enforcement in Texas to act as immigration agents. ADL filed a brief urging the court to issue a preliminary injunction, arguing that if the law goes into effect it would irreparably harm trust between law enforcement and communities that has taken years to build. As the largest non-governmental trainer of police on issues of hate crimes and extremism, ADL knows well the importance of building trust between…

This case poses the question to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals of whether someone can legally be fired just because of their sexual orientation. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination “because of. . . sex,” but, so far, only the Seventh Circuit has held that this prohibition extends to sexual orientation. ADL joined a coalition of diverse bar associations and LGBT groups on an amicus brief arguing that that the Second Circuit should overturn its…

At issue in this case is President Trump's executive order withholding federal funds to "sanctuary" jurisdictions. ADL filed a brief urging the court to issue an injunction, arguing that the executive order threatens to cause immediate and irreparable harm. As the largest non-governmental trainer of police on issues of hate crimes and extremism, ADL knows well the importance of building trust between law enforcement and communities they serve. By coercing jurisdictions to turn local law…

Gavin Grimm, a 17-year-old transgender boy who attends a public high school in Virginia, sued the school board after it passed a resolution banning him and transgender students generally from using the restrooms that match their gender identity. At issue in the case is whether the school board’s policy is unlawful sex discrimination under Title IX of the Education Amendments. ADL joined an amicus brief filed by eight religious and civil rights groups. The record in the case and numerous…

At issue in this case is President Trump’s second executive order on refugees which, among other things, temporarily banned travel from six majority-Muslim countries and suspended refugee resettlement in the United States for a period of 120 days. ADL had filed an amicus brief in the district court in Hawaii urging it to block enforcement of the executive order, which the court did on March 14, 2017. This brief, which was signed by the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, the Union for…

At issue in this case is a for-profit employer’s assertion of the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act (“RFRA”) as legal defense to a violation of a federal workplace anti-discrimination law – Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Acts. A trial court found that a for-profit funeral home violated Title VII by firing a transgender female employee based on sex-stereotyping. The court, however, in an unprecedented ruling found that RFRA exempted the employer from the…

At issue in this case is President Trump’s second executive order on refugees and immigration, which among other things temporarily barred travel for people from six majority-Muslim countries. ADL, joined by the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, the Union for Reform Judaism, the Central Conference of American Rabbis, and Women of Reform Judaism, filed an amicus brief in support of the challenge to the executive order. The brief urges the Court to uphold the District Court’s…

At issue in this case is President Trump’s Executive Order (EO) on immigration and refugees. ADL filed an amicus brief in support of the plaintiffs’ challenge to the EO. The brief urges the Court to issue a preliminary injunction, blocking implementation of the EO’s temporary ban on entry into the United States of people from seven majority-Muslim nations. The brief traces America’s history as a nation dedicated to ideals of equality, liberty and justice, and warns…

At issue in this case before the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals en banc (entire court) is an Establishment Clause challenge to opening Christian prayers delivered at public meetings of a county board of commissioners by the commissioners themselves. The plaintiff — a non-attorney — represented himself throughout the case. Although a Sixth Circuit three-judge panel ruled in his favor, it also found that the trial court made an error by prohibiting the plaintiff from questioning…

This case is a challenge to Donald Trump's executive order withholding federal funds to "sanctuary" jurisdictions. ADL filed a brief urging the court to issue an injunction, arguing that the executive order threatens to cause immediate and irreparable harm. As the largest non-governmental trainer of police on issues of hate crimes and extremism, ADL knows well the importance of building trust between law enforcement and communities they serve. By coercing jurisdictions to turn local law…

This case is a challenge to Donald Trump's executive order withholding federal funds to "sanctuary" jurisdictions. ADL filed a brief urging the court to issue an injunction, arguing that the executive order threatens to cause immediate and irreparable harm. As the largest non-governmental trainer of police on issues of hate crimes and extremism, ADL knows well the importance of building trust between law enforcement and communities they serve. By coercing jurisdictions to turn local law…

At issue in this case is President Trump’s second executive order on refugees which, among other things, temporarily banned travel from six majority-Muslim countries and suspended refugee resettlement in the United States for a period of 120 days. ADL filed an amicus brief urging the court to block enforcement of the executive order. The brief traces America’s history as a nation dedicated to ideals of equality, liberty and justice, and warns against repeating the shameful times in…

Gavin Grimm, a 17-year-old transgender boy who attends a public high school in Virginia, sued the school board after it passed a resolution banning him and transgender students generally from using the restrooms that match their gender identity. At issue in the case is whether the school board’s policy is unlawful sex discrimination under Title IX of the Education Amendments. ADL, joined by ten religious groups, filed an amicus brief arguing that the policy is a violation of Title IX and…

At issue in this case is Section 5(d) of President Trump’s Executive Order (EO) on immigration and refugees, which caps the number of refugees eligible to enter the United States at 50,000 annually. ADL filed an amicus brief in support of the International Refugee Assistance Project’s challenge to the Executive Order. The brief traces America’s history as a nation dedicated to ideals of equality, liberty and justice, and warns against repeating the shameful times in our past…

At issue in this case is President Trump’s Executive Order (EO) on immigration and refugees. ADL filed an amicus brief in support of Virginia’s challenge to the EO. The brief urges the Court to issue a preliminary injunction, blocking implementation of the EO’s temporary ban on entry into the United States of people from seven majority-Muslim nations. The brief traces America’s history as a nation dedicated to ideals of equality, liberty and justice, and warns against…

At issue in this case is President Trump’s Executive Order (EO) which, among other things, temporarily banned the entry of people from seven majority-Muslim countries, suspended entry into the United States for refugees, and prioritized the entry of refugees who are religious minorities in their home countries and who are fleeing religious persecution. ADL filed an amicus brief in support of Washington State’s challenge to the EO. The brief urges the court to block enforcement of…

This case involves a state constitutional challenge to a Georgia law prohibiting abortion after 20 weeks. However, the issue before the Supreme Court of Georgia concerns sovereign immunity. Georgia’s constitution provides its legislature with broad sovereign immunity, but also empowers the state judiciary to declare void legislative acts that are unconstitutional. In this case, the lower court dismissed the constitutional challenge on sovereign immunity grounds. ADL joined an amicus…

For eight years a public high school football coach led his team in pre- and post-game prayer. After the coach was ordered to stop sponsoring team prayer, he began the practice of kneeling in prayer at the football field's 50-yard line immediately following every game. The coach was discharged from his position when he repeatedly refused to comply with the school district's directive to end this practice. In response, the coach brought a lawsuit claiming the district violated his First…