Historic Cases

Since 1966, CCR has pioneered daring and innovative legal strategies in pursuit of its mission to advance and protect the rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Our work began on behalf of civil rights activists, and since then CCR has lent its expertise and support to virtually every popular progressive movement.

Many of the Center’s historic victories have established major legal precedents – from Filártiga v. Peña-Irala, which opened U.S. courts for victims of serious human rights violations from anywhere in the world to Rasul v. Bush, which established the right of Guantánamo detainees to challenge their detention.

NLG and CCR v. Gene M. Johnson, et al

The Jailhouse Lawyer's Handbook explains to prisoners how they can exercise their Constitutional rights to protect themselves from physical abuse, poor conditions and other mistreatment, specifically...

Updated: March 1, 2011

State of Louisiana v. Wallace (New Orleans First Appearances)

CCR filed an amicus brief to the Louisiana Supreme Court in State of Lousiana v. Wallace, 200-KK-1621. The amicus was the result of a campaign and survey coordinated by CCR to observe every New...

Updated: August 5, 2010

Juvenile Life Without Parole (Amicus Brief)

CCR joined as an amicus in Graham v. Florida and Sullivan v. Florida , two cases that will evaluate how the Eighth Amendment’s clause on cruel and unusual punishment applies to sentencing...

Updated: June 28, 2010

Abramowicz v. Lefkowitz

In Abramowicz v. Lefkowitz, attorneys at CCR brought the first challenge to the constitutionality of abortion statutes in which women were the plaintiffs and the issues raised were those of a woman...

Updated: January 25, 2010

Abdel-Muhti v. Ridge

Mr. Abdel-Muhti was a stateless Palestinian born in the Ramallah district of the West Bank in August 1947. Because he left the West Bank before the Israeli takeover in 1967, he could not receive...

Updated: January 25, 2010

Tummino, et al. v. von Eschenbach

A lawsuit against the Food and Drug Administration to challenge the failure to approve the Morning-After Pill (also known as "emergency contraception" or "Plan B") with over-the-counter access for...

Updated: January 20, 2010

Doe v. Constant

The case was filed on behalf of three Haitian women who were brutally tortured by FRAPH. Two of the three plaintiffs were gang-raped in front of their families. A third was attacked by two FRAPH...

Updated: December 15, 2009

Martha Wright v. Corrections Corporation of America (FCC Petition)

In February of 2000 CCR filed Wright v. Corrections Corporation of America , a nationwide class action lawsuit, seeking to enjoin, declare illegal, and recoup damages resulting from conspiracies...

Updated: July 6, 2009

Jessica Gonzales v. The United States of America (amicus)

Amicus in support of a petition in which asserts that domestic violence victims have the right to be protected by the state from the violent acts of their abusers.

Updated: October 23, 2008

Casas-Castrillon v. Lockyer (amicus)

Casas-Castrillon v. Lockyer is one of several cases in which the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) has signed on as amicus curiae to support non-citizens seeking relief from immigration...

Updated: August 5, 2008

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