Defending Democracy and Civil Rights in the Courts and in the Streets
About the PCJF
For 30 years, the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund (PCJF) has been a leader in the fight to uncompromisingly defend democracy and advance constitutional rights by litigating landmark civil rights and First Amendment cases and providing robust defense to social justice activists and movements. Our work is focused on creating meaningful social and legal changes and dismantling systems of oppression.
Featured Issues
PCJF Statement on Mahmoud Khalil’s Unlawful Arrest and Abduction
The Trump Administration is pursuing an unconstitutional witch hunt, abusing government authority in order to target, punish and silence viewpoints that it ideologically opposes.
Trump says he wants to protect free speech. Advocates say he’s undermining it.
In what President Donald Trump says is a move to protect the rule of law and free speech advocates see as an attack on it, the White House is promising tougher punishments for vandalizing public monuments, statues and religious displays.
PCJF Staff Attorney & former Marine Nick Place spoke to Empire Files’ Mike Prysner on domestic deployment of US military
"Troops actually on the ground, really need to ask themselves if they’ll get the same leeway as Trump and his billionaire bosses for executing the orders Trump gives from the golf course."
Impact Litigation
The Partnership for Civil Justice Fund (PCJF), and its Center for Protest Law & Litigation, filed a federal lawsuit against the District of Columbia challenging the Metropolitan Police Department’s “repressive and violent tactics including the authorized indiscriminate use of ‘less lethal’ projectile weapons against peaceful protestors and bystanders, gratuitously and without notice or warning and in order to intentionally retaliate against and inflict pain upon protestors challenging policing in our society.”
The lawsuit seeks to end the MPD’s unconstitutional and punitive tactics of indiscriminately deploying less lethal weapons, including maiming projectiles, into crowds of persons engaged in First Amendment protected activities, in particular those challenging racist police violence.
JOIN THE FIGHT
Your support makes sure we can:
- Defend front-line communities waging the fight for justice
- Mount an uncompromising fight back against police repression
- Challenge outrageous suppressive laws
- Expose government misconduct and operations against the social justice movement.
You have made it possible to fight back – and win – including to bring landmark affirmative constitutional rights cases ratifying and expanding the legal recognition of our cherished rights and restricting illegal police tactics.
How you can help
Help us challenge federal and local law enforcement efforts to punish, threaten and silence movements for change. Join us in the fight for democracy, civil rights, and social and environmental justice – in the courts and in the streets.
PCJF Resource Archive
Find litigation documents, FOIAs, Know Your Rights information, and more in our resource library.
Recent News
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The Administration That Pardoned Jan. 6 Rioters Is Trying to Jail a Guy Over a Protest Banner
PCJF/CPLL Executive Director, Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, spoke with POLITICO about the DOJ’s targeting nonviolent protestors for prosecution: “There are…
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Lawsuit Results in Major Free Speech and Due Process Victory Against UC Santa Cruz
The Center for Protest Law & Litigation at the PCJF, co-counsel Thomas Seabaugh, and the ACLU Foundation of…
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Judge Orders UC Santa Cruz to Seal and Destroy information it Improperly Seized from Anti-Genocide Student Protestor’s Phone
In an important victory for civil liberties and defense of anti-genocide protestors, Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge…
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Protect the Protest Statement on Energy Transfer v Greenpeace International et al SLAPP Verdict
“The verdict against Greenpeace is a threat to the fundamental right to free speech & protest.” The Protect…
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An Open Letter from Civil Rights Groups to the American People
Our Rights Are at Stake. We Will Not Be Silenced. In America, our government cannot do whatever it…
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PCJF Statement on the verdict against Greenpeace
This week’s verdict against Greenpeace in the lawsuit brought by oil giant Energy Transfer Partners is a profound…