Activist Defense
The CLDC represents activists that, in the course of fighting for a better world, are arrested and criminally charged. We believe their courage deserves the best possible defense that can incorporate the political, social, and philosophical motivations of these activists.
Civil Cases
The CLDC engages in civil litigation to hold the powerful accountable and to protect the rights of activists and marginalized communities. Our civil litigation is aimed at holding governments, corporations, and the powerful accountable when they violate the constitutional rights of others. The civil practice of the CLDC is shaped and driven by a desire to create a lasting impact.
Replay w/Live Q&A;: What Does it Mean to be an Abolitionist in 2020? / Presented by Critical Resistance
October 1, 2020
3:00 p.m. PDT — 5:00 p.m. PDT
Webinar--information provided upon registration
Interested in hearing from Critical Resistance (CR) members across multiple cities talk about abolition? Join CLDC lawyer Rebecca Chapman, who will replay the webinar and answer questions from her perspective as a lawyer. We hope that you tune in to see this excellent and very insightful panel presented by CR earlier this summer, and we look forward to your questions!
Capitalism & the Constitution
October 8, 2020
3:00 p.m. PDT — 5:00 p.m. PDT
Webinar--information provided upon registration
Join CLDC attorneys Rebecca Chapman and Cooper Brinson for a discussion with Dr. Rob Hunter on the intersection of legal theory and practice. We will cover some prevailing attitudes toward law in the U.S., dispel some myths about how law functions within capitalism, and offer some new frameworks to approach the law during this historical moment.
Legal History: The Green Scare
October 15, 2020
3:00 p.m. PDT — 5:00 p.m. PDT
Webinar--information provided upon registration
Join Lauren Regan and past CLDC client Daniel McGowan to learn more about the history behind the federal government's targeting of direct action environmental activists.
Standing Rock Civil Rights Lawsuits Moving Forward After North Dakota Federal Court Rejects Defendants’ Dismissal Request
In June, CLDC gave you an update on the various civil rights cases that we and others have filed against the various local governments (and their employees) that violated Water Protectors' civil rights during the [...]
Trump’s Push to Privatize the USPS is a Direct Threat to Democracy
My maternal grandfather was born in 1914 and served in the Army during World War [...]
CLDC Fighting Corporate-Fueled Legal Persecution of Human Rights Lawyer
Fossil fuel giant Chevron vows to “demonize” victorious human rights lawyer For several years now, [...]
CLDC Files Second Suit to Protect the Public from Police Violence
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 31, 2020 Contacts: Lauren Regan, Executive Director & Senior Staff Attorney: [...]
Show Your Solidarity with Antifascist Prisoners this July 25th
July 25th is the International Day of Solidarity with Antifascist Prisoners. Around the world, antifascist [...]
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SUPPORTING THE STRUGGLE
The Civil Liberties Defense Center supports movements that seek to dismantle the political and economic structures at the root of social inequality and environmental destruction. We provide litigation, education, legal and strategic resources to strengthen and embolden their success.
CLDC educates, supports and defends grassroots activists nationwide. We are dedicated to being a backbone for the grassroots and the frontlines. We help activists navigate the legal system, we represent them at no cost when they are arrested and we help them make smart choices in the face of state repression. We provide the necessary legal support so that activists can have long, sustainable lifetimes fighting in the movement for justice.
We also provide Know Your Rights and other legal trainings for activists and other vulnerable groups such as youth, tribes, the houseless community and the undocumented community. We believe that knowledge is power, and when people have the tools and understanding to take action and demand that the government honor all their rights, then grassroots activism will be the best chance of exacting necessary change.