Late Sunday night, Judge Reed O’Connor of the Northern District of Texas issued an unprecedented preliminary injunction order, blocking the Obama Administration from implementing federal guidelines on the rights of transgender students to attend public schools free from discrimination. The order prevents enforcement of federal policy clarifying that transgender students are protected by Title IX, and have the right to use restrooms and facilities in accordance with their gender identity. Astonishingly, the judge issued a nationwide injunction, usually the purview only of the Supreme Court, instead of one limited to the court’s jurisdiction.
This is a make or break moment.
Join the fight for the soul of the constitution and the future of the nation.Our Work
-
Judicial Selection
Every day, federal judges protect the Constitution, place a check on overzealous legislatures, and help Americans find justice.
-
Bolder Advocacy
Demystifying and decoding advocacy by equipping organizations with knowledge and tools.
-
Access to Justice
Over the past several decades, a conservative-led campaign has eviscerated the ability of Americans to have their day in court.
-
Supreme Court
We fight to hold the court to the highest ethical standards, and we fight for a court that upholds the rights of everyday Americans.
Blog
-
-
Benched! Own Job Description Eludes Senator Tillis
As the Republican Senate has brought judicial confirmations to a standstill, refusing even to hold a hearing for Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland, and confirming lower court judges at a historically slow rate, the most obvious explanation for all the obstruction has been politics: Republicans would rather spite President Obama and preserve judicial vacancies for a Republican president than ensure a fully-functioning judiciary. But for Thom Tillis, the Republican Senator from North Carolina and member of the Judiciary Committee, the problem appears to be (for better or worse) an alarming amount of misinformation, whether it be the importance of filling judicial vacancies, how bad the vacancy crisis has become under GOP leadership, or the Senate’s basic constitutional duty to confirm judges.
AFJ in the News
-
Voters, legal experts agree: Tillis and Burr are simply wrong on Supreme Court blockade
Not that it’s much of a surprise — polls have been consistent on this matter for months — but yet another one came out yesterday that shows overwhelming opposition amongst North Carolina voters to the U.S. Senate blockade (championed by Senators Tillis and Burr) of Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland. This is from the widely respected analysts at Public Policy Polling.
-
5 Margaret Brent honorees helped level the playing field for women lawyers
One of a few themes that threaded through acceptance speeches by the five award recipients at the Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award luncheon at the ABA Annual Meeting in San Francisco concerned men, albeit small numbers of them, who worked to help women lawyers succeed.
Press Releases
-
AFJ Applauds DOL for Its Leadership on Forced Arbitration Ban
WASHINGTON, D.C., August 24, 2016 – Today the Department of Labor released final regulations to implement an Executive Order penned by President Obama in 2014, which among other provisions bars companies seeking government contracts from forcing their employees into arbitration over civil rights or sexual harassment claims.
-
Alliance for Justice to CFPB: Protect Consumers from Contracts’ ‘Fine Print’
WASHINGTON, D.C., August 23 – Alliance for Justice submitted comments to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, strongly supporting the agency’s proposed rule banning the use of class action waivers in forced arbitration clauses in consumer financial contracts. The rule would apply specifically to consumer services offered by banks, credit card companies and other lenders.
Featured Resource
The Tipping Point
This is a make or break moment for our rights and freedoms. Right now we’re at a crossroads. The death of Antonin Scalia has left a vacancy on the Court, and that’s just the beginning. There are three more justices who will be in their 80s during the next administration. The math here is simple: whomever those four new justices are will determine what the Constitution means for the rest of your life.
SAVE THE DATE!
Stay Informed
