Report a Civil Liberties Violation
Have you suffered or been a witness to a civil liberties violation in Idaho? If you would like the ACLU of Idaho to review your complaint, please fill out and submit our online complaint form
Before submitting an intake form, please review the following guidelines:
- We can only review complaints in writing (but if you need assistance because of a disability, please contact us however you can)
- We do not have legal staff to answer the phone personally or to see people on a walk-in basis.
- We will not be able to give you legal advice unless we accept your case. All new complainants are treated as prospective clients until reviewed.
- We cannot always respond quickly. If your complaint is urgent, let us know but please do not wait to hear from us before taking other action.
File a complaint of a possible civil liberties violation by clicking here.
How do we pick the cases we take?
We look for the cases that will have the biggest impact in protecting fundamental liberties that are at greatest risk in Idaho.
We file lawsuits that have the potential to have a major impact on civil liberties in Idaho. The basic questions we ask when reviewing a complaint are:
- Is this case about civil liberties or a fundamental civil right? Examples include cases about equal treatment for all, fair treatment by government, discrimination, privacy, and personal freedoms like speech and religion.
- Could this case impact a large number of people or set a new precedent?
- Will this case help educate the public about fundamental liberties or persuade leaders to do a better job protecting our Constitution and basic rights?
- Do we have the resources to take this case on and still respond to other threats?
- Does this case have to do with Idaho? If your case arose in another state, please visit the national ACLU website to find the right ACLU affiliate.
Once we receive your complaint, our Legal Department will review it and contact you as soon as possible in writing. If we cannot help you, we will try to provide you with legal information or refer you elsewhere.
The number of cases we take is pretty small. Unfortunately, we simply cannot take all the cases that come to us. We often have to turn down even those cases that involve real injustices and constitutional violations. If we do not take your case, it does not mean it is without merit. We have to make sure we can continue to responsibly handle the cases we already have and remain vigilant on behalf of all Idahoans’ civil liberties.
What does it cost?
When we take a case, the ACLU of Idaho represents the clients free of charge.
Can the ACLU of Idaho advise me about my case?
If we do not accept your case, we cannot give you legal advice about your case or provide other types of assistance (for example, reviewing your papers or conducting legal research to assist you).
Important Note About Deadlines: Many legal issues have time constraints. The ACLU cannot give you advice about the deadlines that apply to your case. To protect your rights, please consult with an attorney right away to find out what deadlines apply in your case.