News & Commentary

When a 14-year-old is sentenced to die in prison, everyone involved questions the dignity of a society that would throw away someone so young. As a judge forced to hand down mandatory life sentences to juvenile offenders, I know that better than most. Despite recent rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court and Michigan courts declaring that sentencing children to mandatory life without parole is unconstitutional, 360 people still sit in prison for crimes they committed when they were too young to drive, vote, or graduate high school. The reason? Michigan's harsh, outdated laws don't allow judges to determine appropriate punishments on a case-by-case basis or guarantee a fair opportunity for parole for young people serving these unforgiving sentences. That's why I'm calling on legislators to push for reforms that recognize children cannot be held to the same standards of responsibility as adults. Tell legislators: "Now is the time. Michigan’s laws must be reformed in the interests of true justice." I served as a judge for over a quarter century and witnessed society move away from such harsh punishments. In fact, legislation is in the works to reform the Michigan’s law right now. But it won't happen without your support. Michigan needs to stop this cruel and unusual practice. I've seen firsthand that people can change and that our society is stronger when it can demonstrate mercy. Can you help Michigan move into the future by sending a message to legislators? Can't see this video? Refresh this page. Please note that by playing this clip you may place a cookie on your computer. To learn more, view the ACLU of Michigan's privacy policy.

Public schools charging fees for classes? Police taking innocent people’s cars? Law enforcement detaining people for years without a trial? What’s going on? Find out how all these outrageous practices are occurring and what we’re doing to stop them in this week’s rights review.

The ACLU of Michigan has filed suit on behalf of a peaceful protester who was arrested under a law that doesn’t even exist, the ACLU and a conservative think tank have agreed on an important state and national issue, and a state university has taken an amazing step forward in the world of equal education and opportunities.

From fictions like Fahrenheit 451 to real world events during World War II and the Middle Ages, the destruction of books often appears as a cornerstone of dystopian societies. Unfortunately, it’s looking like we can add Michigan’s educational system to this frightening list.Last week, school workers revealed that a dumpster in Highland Park was filled with books meant for children to read and learn from, taken out of the high school and thrown away on orders from an Emergency Manager. Some in tears, community volunteers recovered what was left of the school’s library: less than 1,000 volumes of a library that once contained 10,000 books and audio-visual materials. In a city where children are struggling to learn to read in schools ill-equipped to teach, it's horrifying to think that educational and cultural materials have been ripped out of the hands of citizens by an all-powerful authority who announced "We are not in the business of libraries."Historically, the destruction of books has been an attempt to censor or silence an aspect of a culture. The Highland Park Senior High School library contained a large and historic collection of black history books, many of which are now lost forever.The “immune” Emergency Manager appointed by Governor Snyder seems to be ignoring this troubling parallel, especially telling in a state where many residents perceive that, in practice, emergency management has been reserved for people of color.Before anyone had heard about the book destruction, we already knew that the great majority of Highland Park students cannot read at grade level and that teaching aides had been ordered to falsify records. We've filed a lawsuit in an effort to guarantee that Highland Park students, and all students in our state, receive a quality education and chance at a bright future.With the dire statistics and worrying reports coming out of the city, it is obvious that Highland Park schools cannot afford to lose a single book. It is outrageous that the EM discarded opportunities for students to learn about their history and culture and to become informed and capable citizens.Michigan public schools are facing hard times, but it is imperative that the best interests of our children, which includes a lifetime of learning and reading, stays the main priority. 

In our society, putting someone behind bars is necessary after we are as certain beyond a reasonable doubt that the person is guilty.However, when we know that many facets of the system are broken and it is likely that innocent people have been thrown in jail, we must act to correct this injustice and balance the scales of justice.After serving on the Governor's Indigent Defense Advisory Commission and thoroughly researching the indigent defense systems in our state, I have no doubt that there are people in prison who are innocent and others who are serving longer terms than they would have, if they had a decent attorney defending them.Think about that. Is there anything more foundational to a society than making sure that the freedom of the innocent is not taken away by government? Knowing this fate has befallen some, due to inadequate defense and a broken system of justice, I made addressing this inadequacy a top priority.I am proud that because of legislation signed into law last week, our state has an oversight system that will ensure justice is meted out as best as possible to both rich and poor defendants across Michigan.That law forms the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission, which will put protections in place that will ensure that indigent defense standards are the same in one county as in another, while allowing locals to decide the delivery system that best suits their citizens.As a former county commissioner, I'm happy that this legislation guarantees poor defendants will given enough resources to ensure they are given a fair shot in court while still limiting any additional costs that might be borne by locals in already cash-strapped counties.As a top conservative in Lansing, I have enjoyed the unique experience of working on this matter with diverse groups like the ACLU of Michigan, the Michigan Bar, the Campaign for Justice and the Sixth Amendment Center.Today, we can all unite in celebration that our elected officials have seen the injustices in our judicial system and put in place a solution that will protect the strongest foundation for our society: the focus of true and equal justice before our laws.

Texas: the state where everything is bigger, including anti-woman legislation. It seems as though there is a competition between states of who can legislate the most extreme violations on women’s health. After a slow start, Texas jumped to the top of that disturbing list this week, as legislators called a special session just to push bills restricting women's rights into law. People in the Lone Star State aren't taking this quietly. Hundreds of women and men have gathered at the Capitol to protest a bill that would ban abortions after 20 weeks, could lead to the closure of nearly all abortion clinics in Texas, and puts up numerous other barriers preventing women from getting the health care they need. Inside the Texas Legislature, courageous Senator Wendy Davis is standing for women's rights, launching a 13 straight hour filibuster, through midnight tonight. 

This week, we are fighting for all Michiganders’ rights to have fair trials and to go to school, regardless of their economic status. In the meantime, more scary (and discriminatory!) massive surveillance is happening, but we’ve got your back on that, too.

Everyone knows that the Supreme Court is a big deal—the decisions that the highest court in our land makes affect every individual in our country.  Rulings made in the Supreme Court influence the ACLU’s work greatly and the we've been involved in hundreds of Supreme Court cases. We're celebrating since the Court agreed with us and invalidated corporate patents on naturally occurring genes, but still biting our nails waiting for rulings to come down that will impact LGBT equality across the country. It can be tricky to stay informed, but just follow the simple steps listed below to get the news on current Supreme Court cases and how they can affect you and your community.

From couples trying to adopt children and to people on hard times: we're fighting discrimination against innocent people in Michigan. This week, hear up-to-the minute news about second-parent adoptions, banning free speech, and the government's misguided and dangerous dragnet of you phonecalls and DNA.