Court Cases

The ACLU of Arkansas filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of former Russellville High School biology teacher Chance Duncan, alleging that the Russellville School District violated the First Amendment by firing him over a social media post he made as a private citizen on his personal Facebook account in response to the death of political activist Charlie Kirk. Duncan, an award-winning biology teacher with 18 years of experience, made the Facebook post after school hours using his personal device. Although he deleted the post the following morning and publicly apologized, the district suspended and later terminated him. The lawsuit argues that Duncan's post addressed a matter of public concern and was protected by the First Amendment. It alleges that the district unlawfully retaliated against him for exercising his constitutional right to free speech. The complaint asks the court to declare the district's actions unconstitutional, order Duncan's reinstatement, and award attorney's fees and other appropriate relief.

A group of seven multifaith Arkansas families has filed a federal lawsuit to stop Act 573, a new state law that requires all public elementary and secondary schools to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom and library.

The ACLU of Arkansas filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of Gregory Holt, also known as Abdul Maalik Muhammad, a renowned jailhouse litigator and devout Muslim, against Arkansas Division of Correction Director Dexter Payne. The lawsuit challenges Mr. Muhammad’s sudden and retaliatory transfer to a dangerous federal prison in West Virginia, alleging it was designed to derail his civil rights litigation and silence his legal advocacy on behalf of himself and others in prison.

The ACLU of Arkansas has filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of Patty Hector, the former director of the Saline County Library, against Saline County Judge Matthew Brumley and Saline County challenging Ms. Hector’s retaliatory termination after she publicly opposed censorship efforts.

During the annual Benton-Bryant Salt Bowl football game at War Memorial Stadium, Little Rock, ACLU of Arkansas client De’Jarnette Johnson's rights were infringed upon by Arkansas State Police Sergeant Dakotah Bailey.

The American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU affiliates within the Eighth Circuit, and PEN America filed a friend-of-the-court brief today in Walls v. Sanders, a First Amendment challenge to Arkansas’s ban on “prohibited indoctrination” in K-12 public schools.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Arkansas, on behalf of For AR Kids, filed a complaint today against the Town of Rose Bud, Arkansas, and Mayor Shawn Gorham in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas, cooperating attorneys John E. Tull III and Noah P. Watson settled a federal lawsuit on behalf of Arkansas poll worker Barry Haas. Haas’ free-speech rights were disregarded when he was denied an appointed position for the September 2021 special Little Rock tax election due to participation in lawsuits and his personal political views.