The New York Civil Liberties Union works in the courts as a public-interest law firm, bringing constitutional test cases in state and federal court. The NYCLU's legal program balances enforcement litigation, or cases that enforce previously established standards, and cutting-edge test case litigation, or cases that seek to set new standards.
While litigation alone does not represent a complete strategy to preserve and enhance civil liberties, the lawsuits pursued by the NYCLU are important because of the particular wrongs they right, the individuals and groups they protect, and the constitutional doctrines they establish. Our litigation complements our proactive program of public education and advocacy.
Printer-friendly VersionA New York State Supreme Court today ruled that Gov. David Paterson’s May memo telling state agencies to recognize the marriages of lesbian and gay couples performed in other states and countries is legal. The decision relied heavily on a landmark New York Civil Liberties Union victory in the case Martinez v. County of Monroe.
Responding to opposition led by the New York Civil Liberties Union, Otsego County has abandoned revisions to its employee health care policy that unlawfully excluded from coverage couples who are lesbian and gay.
