- Collection Overview
- Collection Description & Creator Information
- Access & Use
- Collection History
- Find Related Materials
Expanded View
Collection Overview
- Creator:
- American civil liberties union
- Title:
- American Civil Liberties Union Records: Subgroup 3, Legal Case Files Series
- Repository:
- Public Policy Papers
- Permanent URL:
- http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/00000076j
- Dates:
- 1864-2001 (mostly 1965-1995)
- Size:
- 437 boxes
- Storage Note:
- This is stored in multiple locations.
- Mudd Manuscript Library (scamudd): Boxes 3176-3611; 3452a
- : Box 5
- Language:
- English
Abstract
The Legal Case Files series documents the ACLU's involvement in litigation, ranging from files collected on cases for research purposes to records of cases they were significantly involved in. The records include documents filed with the court, correspondence, lawyer's notes, depositions and expert testimony, transcripts of the trials, newspaper clippings, and research materials on the background of the cases and legal precedents.
Collection Description & Creator Information
- Scope and Contents
The Legal Case Files series documents the ACLU's involvement in litigation, ranging from files collected on cases for research purposes to records of cases they were significantly involved in. The records include documents filed with the court, correspondence, lawyer's notes, depositions and expert testimony, transcripts of the trials, newspaper clippings, and research materials on the background of the cases and legal precedents.
The Legal Case Files series contains records about over 1,500 cases, with the majority being files collected on non-ACLU cases for research on the broad range of civil liberties which the ACLU investigates. Common subjects include freedom of speech and expression, illegal surveillance and search, injustice in the legal system, public education, racial and sexual discrimination, and the separation of church and state, as well as fair employment and health care practices, immigration, information access and privacy, and politics and voting. Cases which are particularly well documented include Carlos Rivera v. John Rowland about the public defender system in Connecticut and three cases about public education: Brown v. Board of Education, Charlet v. Legislature of Louisiana, and Harper v. Hunt.
This series is a continuation of ACLU Records: Subgroup 2, Legal Case Files Series, 1933-1990. In Subgroup 3, see also Series 2: Project Files and Series 5: Regional Offices for cases litigated by the ACLU.
- Collection Creator Biography:
American civil liberties union
The ACLU is the preeminent civil liberties organization in the United States. The ACLU describes itself as "our nation's guardian of liberty, working daily in courts, legislatures and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties that the Constitution and laws of the United States guarantee everyone in this country." Since its inception in 1920, the ACLU has played a part in nearly every significant American social or political issue in the 20th century. This includes important work in the areas of civil rights, children and women's rights, freedom of speech (and all First Amendment questions), and due process, among many others.
For a more detailed history of the ACLU, please see the history in the finding aid for the processed portion of the ACLU Records.
Collection History
- Acquisition:
Materials are transferred from the ACLU annually.
- Appraisal
Confidential files, including adoption records and employment applications, were separated from this series during processing.
- Sponsorship:
These papers were processed with the generous support of the National Historical Publications and Records Commission and the John Foster and Janet Avery Dulles Fund.
- Processing Information
This collection was processed by Adriane Hanson in 2010-2012 with the assistance of Special Collections Assistant David Gillespie and student assistants Brandon Joseph and Emma Watt. Finding aid written by Adriane Hanson in March 2012.
Boxes 3308 and 3492 were treated by American Freeze Dry, Inc. for mold.
Access & Use
- Conditions Governing Use
Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.
- Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.
- Credit this material:
American Civil Liberties Union Records: Subgroup 3, Legal Case Files Series; Public Policy Papers, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library
- Permanent URL:
- http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/00000076j
- Location:
-
Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library65 Olden StreetPrinceton, NJ 08540, USA
- Storage Note:
- This is stored in multiple locations.
- Mudd Manuscript Library (scamudd): Boxes 3176-3611; 3452a
- : Box 5
Find More
- Existence and Location of Copies
American Civil Liberties Union Records: Subgroup 1, The Roger Baldwin Years is available on microfilm.
Public records of the ACLU from 1917 to 1989, from American Civil Liberties Union Records: Subgroup 2, have been microfilmed by the Microfilming Corporation of America (MCA) and University Microfilms International (UMI). These records include minutes of the board of directors, mailings to the board of directors, biennial conference papers, policy guides, the national legal docket, organization manuals, constitution and bylaws, legal briefs, and publications.
- Other Finding Aids
This finding aid describes a portion of the American Civil Liberties Union Records held at the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library. For an overview of the entire collection, instructions on searching the collection and requesting materials, and other information, please see the Guide to the American Civil Liberties Union Records.
- Bibliography
Historical sketch based on In Defense of American Liberties: A History of the ACLU by Samuel Walker. See also Samuel Walker's The American Civil Liberties Union: An Annotated Bibliography.
- Subject Terms:
- Church and state --United States.
Civil rights -- United States -- Cases.
Civil rights -- United States.
Discrimination -- United States.
Discrimination in employment -- United States.
Due process of law -- United States.
Emigration and immigration law -- United States -- Cases.
Freedom of information -- United States.
Freedom of speech -- United States.
Political rights -- United States.
Public schools -- United States -- Evaluation.
Race discrimination -- United States.
Right to health -- United States.
Sex discrimination against women -- United States. - Genre Terms:
- Legal files.
Publications. - Names:
- American civil liberties union
