The ACLU of Michigan is one of more than 50 affiliates in the United States. We only accept complaints that occur within the State of Michigan. If your complaint arose in a state other than Michigan, you must contact the ACLU office in that state. Find the address for the appropriate affiliate.
Among the issues we work on are freedom of speech, freedom of religion, privacy, discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation or disability, police misconduct, censorship in school or libraries, fairness in application of school discipline, access to government documents, inhumane jail and prison conditions, and other issues of fair treatment by government.
WHAT WE DO
We offer information in response to specific inquiries or concerns. We coach people on how to assert their own rights and sometimes advocate on their behalf. When we can't help, we refer people to other organizations that may be able to. We undertake lawsuits in matters that raise civil liberties or civil rights issues that affect the lives of many people. However, the number of cases that we take is relatively small.
WHAT WE DON’T DO
In general, we do not handle cases that involve general legal matters such as evictions, tenant-landlord disputes, general disputes between employees and employers (for example, disputes centering on wages and hours), criminal prosecutions, divorce, child custody, or wills, unless they raise broader constitutional or civil rights concerns.
TO GET HELP
File a complaint with our office. Due to extremely limited resources, we are unable to take every case, sometimes even those concerning real injustices. We take cases that raise significant constitutional or civil liberties issues that will impact others in the same situation. If your complaint is not pursued by our office, it does not mean it is without merit.