Until every one of our local governments are elected by the people they serve, our work is not done. Participation in free and fair elections, whether it be for president, state legislature or local fire district, is the cornerstone of our democracy.
The Johnston PD violated the First Amendment rights of retired Detective James Brady when he was disciplined for speaking to a Providence Journal reporter on a matter of public concern.
In an important victory for privacy rights, the U.S Supreme Court today unanimously rejected police arguments that engaging in a non-criminal “community caretaking” function allows them to search a person’s home without a warrant.
The favorable settlement, which permanently bars enforcement of the ordinance, was on behalf of town resident Michael DiPaola, who had erected a series of signs on his property that criticized the Town’s perceived selective enforcement of its zoning code.
RILS and the ACLU of RI have filed a brief in R.I. Superior Court seeking to overturn a decision issued last year by the Council of Elementary and Secondary Education that the groups claim violate the rights of English Language Learners.