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Protect Mourners' Rights, But Not at Expense of First Amendment (04/04/2008)
COLUMBIA, Mo. - The quiet reverence of a funeral service held in honor of a fallen soldier is punctuated by the jarring retort of a 21-gun salute. A folded American flag, once draping the coffin of the deceased, is handed respectfully to the surviving spouse. A few short words "from a grateful nation" are uttered, followed by a crisp salute and the solemn playing of "Taps." A few yards away mulls a group of protesters holding signs and chanting "Thank God for dead soldiers." It's the juxtaposition of these two rituals that is at the heart of one University of Missouri professor's examination of the legal issues surrounding privacy and free speech.

ACLU of Eastern Missouri Applauds Decision In Free Speech Case (12/06/2007)
ST. LOUIS – The American Civil Liberties Union of Eastern Missouri welcomed a decision today preserving the constitutional protection of unpopular speech. The United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit found in favor of Shirley L. Phelps-Roper, a member of the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC), in a case challenging a Missouri law that stripped her of her constitutional rights to free speech and religious liberty by banning protests at funerals. The court’s decision in Phelps-Roper v. Nixon reverses an earlier decision that denied Phelps-Roper’s request for a preliminary injunction while the constitutionality of the law is reviewed.

ACLU Asks Court to Protect Access to Abortion Care for Women Prisoners in Missouri (09/24/2007)
ST. LOUIS, MO - The American Civil Liberties Union today asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit to uphold a ruling allowing women prisoners in Missouri to obtain timely, safe, and legal abortion care.

ACLU Renews Fight to Overturn Law That Denies Financial Aid to Students With Drug Convictions (04/16/2007)
ST. LOUIS, MO -- The American Civil Liberties Union today filed an appeal asking that a federal court be compelled to weigh the full body of evidence in determining the constitutional validity of a provision of the Higher Education Act that denies financial aid to students convicted of a drug offense. The U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota dismissed the case last year after refusing to consider significant legislative history demonstrating the law to be unconstitutional.

ACLU Scores Free Speech Victory for Columbia Residents (03/22/2007)
ST. LOUIS - The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals today affirmed a lower court’s ruling prohibiting the city of Columbia and the nonprofit corporation, Memorial Day Weekend Salute to Veterans, from restricting free expression at Columbia’s annual air show.

ACLU Challenges Denial of Housing Permit to Unmarried Couple in Black Jack, Missouri (08/10/2006)
ST. LOUIS, MO -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Eastern Missouri and the ACLU Women’s Rights Project filed a lawsuit today on behalf of a family that was denied a permit to live in the city of Black Jack because of a law that prohibits more than three people from living together unless they are related by “blood, marriage or adoption.”

ACLU of Eastern Missouri Challenges Law Banning Pickets and Protests One Hour Before or After a Funeral (07/21/2006)
ST. LOUIS, MO — The American Civil Liberties Union of Eastern Missouri filed a lawsuit today on behalf of Shirley L. Phelps-Roper, a member of a controversial conservative Christian church, over a Missouri law that infringes on her rights to religious liberty and free speech.

Best Interests of Children Triumph Over Politics in Missouri (07/19/2006)
KANSAS CITY, MO -- The American Civil Liberties Union and PROMO, Missouri’s statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality organization, are very pleased with the new rule issued by the Missouri Department of Social Services (DSS) allowing lesbian and gay people to be considered as foster parents. DSS has rightly put the interests of children ahead of politics. The foster care system is in crisis, with thousands of foster children languishing in institutional and group facilities due to a severe shortage in foster homes. The new rule is a victory for the nearly 2,000 foster children in Missouri.

ACLU Applauds Decision Allowing Women Prisoners in Missouri to Access Abortion Care (07/18/2006)
ST. LOUIS, MO - The American Civil Liberties Union today applauded a decision by a district court in Missouri allowing women prisoners in the state to access timely, safe, and legal abortion care.

ACLU Reacts to Missouri Attorney General’s Statement Signaling End of Statewide Anti-Gay Foster Care Ban (06/08/2006)
KANSAS CITY, MO – Opening the possibility of loving families for the nearly 2,000 children in Missouri who desperately need foster care, the Missouri Attorney General has indicated that the state’s anti-gay foster care ban must be dropped. The move was applauded today by the American Civil Liberties Union, which has been battling the ban since 2004.

ACLU Launches Nationwide Action Against NSA Snooping on Americans’ Phone Calls (05/24/2006)
NEW YORK -- Responding to reports that phone companies are turning over private details about Americans’ telephone calls to the National Security Agency, the American Civil Liberties Union today launched a nationwide initiative to end illegal government spying.

ACLU Argues Challenge to Missouri's Anti-Gay Foster Care Ban (11/03/2005)
KANSAS CITY, MO - The American Civil Liberties Union today asked a Jackson County Circuit Court judge to overturn the Missouri Department of Social Services decision that denied a woman's application to become a foster parent because she is a lesbian. The denial came in spite of an administrative judge's opinion that she was ""exceptionally"" qualified.

ACLU Applauds Supreme Court Decision Allowing Access to Reproductive Healthcare Services for MO Prison Inmate (10/17/2005)
WASHINGTON - The American Civil Liberties Union today applauded a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court allowing access to reproductive healthcare for a prison inmate in Missouri. The inmate is seeking access to abortion services.

Following ACLU Action, Public Housing Agency Agrees to Treat St. Louis Women Fairly (10/06/2005)
ST. LOUIS -- The American Civil Liberties Union and Legal Services of Eastern Missouri announced today that a St. Louis mother who is a victim of ongoing domestic abuse has reached an agreement with the St. Louis Public Housing Authority that prevents the agency from evicting her on the basis of her ex-boyfriend's harassment and abuse. Instead, the woman will be permitted to move to a new unit in order to conceal her location from her abuser, and agents and employees of the Housing Authority will participate in training about domestic violence.

ACLU Exposes Censorship at High Schools in Ohio and Missouri (04/06/2005)
NEW YORK -- The American Civil Liberties Union today took on schools in two different states for violating the First Amendment rights of students who wish to wear t-shirts expressing their support for gay rights issues.

ACLU of Eastern Missouri is Site of Election Day Voting Rights Command Center (11/02/2004)
ST. LOUIS, MO--The American Civil Liberties Union of Eastern Missouri announced today that it will serve as the Legal Command Center for the Voting Rights Coalition of St. Louis and will monitor election activities through volunteer poll workers stationed at more than 50 polling places throughout the city.

ACLU of Eastern Missouri Files Lawsuit to Protect Rights of Protesters During President's Visit (08/23/2003)
ST. LOUIS -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Eastern Missouri today filed an emergency motion asking a federal court to allow protesters to peacefully demonstrate outside of the convention center where President George W. Bush is scheduled to address the American Legion.

U.S. Supreme Court Strikes Order to Forcibly Medicate Mentally Ill Defendant (06/16/2003)
ST. LOUIS -- The United States Supreme Court today affirmed that an individual has a significant constitutionally protected liberty interest in avoiding the unwanted administration of antipsychotic drugs in a case that set firm guidelines on when the government can drug a person against his will.

ACLU of Eastern Missouri Asks Court to Make Public State's Death Penalty Protocol (11/22/2002)
ST. LOUIS -- The American Civil Liberties of Eastern Missouri today asked a district court judge to order the state's Department of Corrections to make public the procedures used for executing individuals sentenced to the death penalty.

Rave Attendees Claim Rights Violations (07/17/2001)
ST. LOUIS -- Organizers of a weekend rave near Potosi, Missouri that was shut down by police have contacted the local American Civil Liberties Union about alleged civil rights violations and are encouraging those who attended the party to file complaints against the law enforcement agencies involved, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. 

MO's Asset Forfeiture Reform Bill Closes $32 Million Loophole That Let Police Divert Education Funds (05/17/2001)
ST. LOUIS--A measure to reform Missouri's Civil Asset Forfeiture Act (CAFA) to ensure that police departments deposit seized assets into a public education fund, as required by the Missouri Constitution, will be signed into law today by Governor Bob Holden in Jefferson City. 

Mentally Retarded Missouri Man Granted Stay of Execution; ACLU Renews Call for Clemency (03/07/2001)
ST. LOUIS, MO--The American Civil Liberties Union today renewed its call for clemency in the case of a mentally retarded man here whose death sentence was put on hold by the United States Supreme Court last night just hours before he was scheduled to be executed.

In Victory for St. Louis Voters, Court Judge Sets Hearing for Remaining Issues (03/05/2001)
ST. LOUIS--Hours after the ACLU filed a lawsuit seeking immediate action on behalf of voters in tomorrow's mayoral primaries, a court here issued an order barring election judges from turning away registered voters who can affirm that they are entitled to vote in their precincts.

On Eve of Mayoral Primary Election, ACLU Files Class Action Lawsuit on Behalf of St. Louis Voters (03/05/2001)
ST. LOUIS, MO--In an effort to restore voting rights to voters here before tomorrow's mayoral primary election, rights groups including the American Civil Liberties Union of Eastern Missouri entered court today to prevent a repeat of November's Election Day fiasco.

Mentally Retarded Missouri Man Faces Execution; ACLU, Victims' Mother Ask For Clemency (03/02/2001)
JEFFERSON CITY, MO--As lawmakers here consider a ban on executions of people with mental retardation, the American Civil Liberties Union is stepping up efforts to secure clemency for a mentally retarded Missouri man scheduled to be executed next Wednesday, March 7.

ACLU Praises Lawmakers as Missouri Becomes Fourth State in Nation to Pass Racial Profiling Legislation (05/12/2000)
ST. LOUIS--The American Civil Liberties Union of Eastern Missouri today praised lawmakers for making Missouri the fourth state in the nation to pass legislation prohibiting racial profiling and requiring police departments statewide to keep racial statistics on all police stops.

ACLU, Urban League Urge Support for Racial Profiling Legislation in St. Louis (02/24/2000)
ST. LOUIS, MO -- At a news conference today, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Urban League, and other community groups joined State Representative Russell Gunn support of his proposed legislation requiring state and local law enforcement officials to collect data on the racial composition of people pulled over for suspected traffic violations.