Litigation & Legal Advocacy

The ACLU of Colorado’s Legal Department works to protect and defend civil liberties through court litigation as well as legal advocacy outside the courtroom. With only two full-time attorneys on staff, the ACLU also relies on the work of dedicated volunteer cooperating attorneys from around the state who are willing to donate their time and talent to assist our struggle for liberty.

Legal Docket

Our Legal Database details all of our cases and non-litigation advocacy from recent years, including important court documents and correspondence. Search by issue or simply browse.

Our Work Around the Denver Police Department Spy Files

When the ACLU discovered that the Denver Police Department had been monitoring and recording the peaceful protest activities of Denver-area residents and keeping files on the expressive activities of law-abiding advocacy organizations---many of which are falsely labeled in the files as "criminal extremist"---we sprung to action. This work has become one of our most well-known and well-read cases. Learn more about work to stop the Denver Police Department from keeping these spy files so that Denver residents can feel free to peacefully express their views.

Our Work Around the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force

During the litigation of the Denver Spy Files case, the ACLU of Colorado obtained documents that indicated that the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) had been collecting information about peaceful political activities that have nothing to do with terrorism. Over a period of many months, the ACLU investigated and publicized the work of the JTTF as it gathered information about nonviolent political activity under the guise of fighting terrorism. Learn more about our work, which ultimately resulted in our calling on Denver to withdraw from the JTTF.

Our Work Around the 2008 Democratic National Convention

The ACLU of Colorado worked to protect civil rights and civil liberties before, during and after the Democratic National Convention (DNC) that was held in Denver on August 24-28, 2008. Our efforts included litigation, advocacy, and public education regarding the first amendment rights to freedom of expression, the right to assemble, and the right to petition the government. The ACLU’s advocacy also focused on issues related to police practices and the treatment and processing of persons who might be arrested during the DNC. Learn more about our work to defend freedoms at the Convention.

How to Get Legal Help

The ACLU of Colorado does not review requests for legal assistance in person or over the telephone. To ask the ACLU for legal assistance, please learn more about the cases we take on. If you think your case is a good fit, please learn more about how to request legal help.