Celebrating 10 Years Fighting for Equal Justice

Thanks to our supporters, Equal Justice Under Law celebrated its 10-year anniversary on March 24, 2024! This work would not be possible without the dedication of donors who agree that wealth-based discrimination undermines the foundation of our justice system.

In the past ten years, Equal Justice Under Law has brought 44 lawsuits in 18 states. We have won or favorably settled 38 cases (with several more ongoing), bringing positive change for more than six-million people across the country. A few victories that we have achieved thanks to donor support include:

Ending money bail — Equal Justice Under Law confronted discriminatory bail practices in San Francisco and Sacramento in the lawsuits Buffin v. San Francisco and Welchen v. Sacramento. The organization successfully argued that detaining individuals based on their inability to afford bail was a violation of constitutional rights. The courts’ decisive rulings not only rectified these unjust practices in San Francisco and Sacramento but set a national precedent, inspiring reforms in jurisdictions grappling with similar inequities.

Restoring the right to drive — With our lawsuit Rodriguez v. Mach, Equal Justice Under Law ended Texas’s Driver Responsibility Program. This program notoriously suspended drivers’ licenses of residents who were unable to pay court debts. The law was counterproductive — it attempted to coerce payment by taking away people’s ability to drive, thereby impeding their ability to work and earn money to pay those debts. Thanks to the lawsuit, more than 1.4 million Texans’ licenses are now no longer suspended due to inability to pay and approximately 600,000 Texans became eligible to have their driver’s license reinstated.

Ending abusive supervision — In Rodriguez v. Providence Community Corrections, Equal Justice Under Law’s victory forced a private probation company to end its discriminatory operations, not only in Tennessee, but all across the country. This victory won a $14.3 million settlement on behalf of 30,000 class members. The case also brought statewide and national media attention to how private probation companies are profiting by extorting low-income probationers.

Equal Justice Under Law also has several ongoing cases that we continue to fight, with sights set on these additional victories soon:

Fighting for fairness in the child support system — Equal Justice Under Law is currently embroiled in litigation in Wright v. Family Support Division, a case challenging the constitutionality of Missouri's child support system. Alleging that discriminatory practices disproportionately burdening low-income parents, the organization aims to bring about systemic reforms that ensure fair treatment for all individuals within the child support system.

Restoring the right to vote — In NAACP v. Lee, Equal Justice Under Law collaborates with the Tennessee State Conference of the NAACP to challenge restrictive voting laws disproportionately impacting minority communities. This ongoing litigation seeks to protect and expand access to the ballot for individuals with prior criminal histories whom are eligible to have their voting rights restored, reinforcing the organization's commitment to safeguarding the fundamental right to vote for all citizens.

Challenging unconstitutional pre-trial fees — In Evenson-Childs v. Ravalli County and multiple other cases, Equal Justice Under Law is challenging discrimination in abusive supervision fees, addressing discriminatory practices within Ravalli County, Montana. Individuals who haven’t yet had their day in court are charged hundreds or thousands of dollars in pre-trial supervision fees with threats of incarceration if they do not pay. Through our lawsuits, Equal Justice Under Law seeks to require waivers of pre-trial fees, taking into account ability to pay.

These victories and ongoing battles for justice would not be possible without the trust and support of our supporters. As we celebrate ten years of success and look ahead to ten more, we are grateful to have an entire community with us. These victories are our donor’s to celebrate also because they are part of the Equal Justice Under Law team.