Legal Docket

La Rue v. Colorado Board of Education
The ACLU and others filed suit against the Douglas County School District's voucher program, which violates state law by funneling tax dollars allocated for public education to private religious schools.
Colorado Christian University v. Baker
Colorado Christian University (CCU) challenges a Colorado program that provides tuition assistance to college students but exempts students who are attending an education institution classified as “pervasively sectarian.”
Sheline v. Ortiz
This lawsuit was filed on behalf of Timothy Sheline, an Orthodox Jewish prisoner in the Colorado Department of Corrections (DOC). His sincerely-held religious beliefs require that he maintain a kosher diet, which the DOC was providing until April, 2005.
Colorado Congress of Parents, Teachers and Students v. Owens
On April 16, 2003, Governor Owens signed HB 03-1160, the Colorado Opportunity Contract Pilot Program. It authorizes a voucher program that makes public funds available to pay for students who want to attend private schools, including sectarian religious schools.
Shields v. Kiowa County School District
Acting on behalf of a teacher and student who sought the ACLU's assistance, the ACLU filed suit to put an end to school-sponsored religious messages, including a planned school-sponsored prayer at the annual graduation ceremony, at Plainview School in Sheridan Lakes, Colorado, a small town 140 miles east of Denver with a population of about 60 K-12 students.
Christian v. City of Grand Junction
In this suit brought to enforce the constitutional principle that government should not promote religion or endorse religious messages, the ACLU challenged the City of Grand Junction’s decision to erect a granite monument depicting the Ten Commandments in a prominent location at the entrance to the new City Hall building.
Beerheide v. Suthers
Relying on the First Amendment guarantee of the right to freely exercise their religious beliefs, Jewish prisoners persuaded the federal district court to order the Colorado Department of Corrections (DOC) to provide them with a diet of kosher food.
Reed v. Mineta, Secretary of the Dept. of Transportation
Air traffic controller Don Reed celebrates the Sabbath on Saturdays. In 1995, after almost ten years working for the Federal Aviation Administration, he was fired after a new supervisor refused to adjust Mr. Reed’s schedule to accommodate his religious practice.
ACLU Challenges Distribution of New Testament to Elementary Public School Students
In January, concerned parents from a town in northeastern Colorado informed the ACLU of Colorado that public school officials were offering free copies of the New Testament to all fifth grade students.
ACLU Protects Religious Rights Of Prisoners At Teller County Jail
When the Teller County Jail told inmates that they would not be allowed to have “certain religious articles or diets,” the ACLU of Colorado stepped in to defend the rights of prisoners to observe their religion.