Wednesday, June 30, 2010 | news
LDF Friend of the Court Brief Cited in Court’s Opinion (New York, NY) – Today, the United States Supreme Court declared that children convicted of non-homicide offenses cannot be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The Court concluded that because adolescents are, by nature, less culpable than adults and because life […]
Monday, May 17, 2010 | case-update
LDF Friend of the Court Brief Cited in Court’s Opinion (New York, NY) – Today, the United States Supreme Court declared that children convicted of non-homicide offenses cannot be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The Court concluded that because adolescents are, by nature, less culpable than adults and because life without […]
Friday, May 16, 2025 | news
Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision in Barnes v. Felix, holding that courts must consider the totality of circumstances that led to a use of police force, rather than only the moment preceding the use of force. In May 2025, the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) and the National Urban League, represented by […]
Wednesday, April 2, 2025 | news
The Legal Defense Fund (LDF) today applauded yesterday’s historic, record-setting speech by U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), in which he condemned the Trump Administration’s sweeping rollback of civil rights and urged action to defend democracy. LDF Director of Policy Demetria McCain issued the following statement: “Yesterday, Senator Cory Booker gave voice to what millions across […]
Monday, June 7, 2021 | news
Today, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer recommended that President Joe Biden nominate voting rights attorneys Myrna Perez and Dale Ho to respectively serve on the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and as a federal judge in the Southern District of New York. Currently, Perez is the director of voting rights and election programs at […]
Thursday, December 12, 2013 | news
The following is a statement from LDF’s President and Director-Counsel, Sherrilyn Ifill: The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., is thrilled by today’s Senate’s vote to confirm Cornelia “Nina” Pillard to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Nina is a tremendously talented lawyer, who has dedicated her career to public service […]
Tuesday, November 18, 2014 | news
The NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc., (LDF) welcomed today’s historic votes by the U.S. Senate to confirm the first African-American female judges ever to serve on Georgia’s federal judiciary. The Senate confirmed Leslie Abrams to the Middle District of Georgia and Eleanor Ross to the Northern District of Georgia. President Obama had previously […]
Monday, March 6, 2017 | news
NAACP Legal Defense Fund Applauds the Supreme Court’s Ruling That Racial Bias Cannot Be Tolerated in the Criminal Justice System Read the PDF of our statement here. The NAACP Legal Defense Fund (LDF) applauds today’s decision by the Supreme Court of the United States in Pena-Rodriguez v. Colorado reaffirming the longstanding and foundational principle that […]
Friday, April 21, 2023 | news
On Thursday, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) updated its guidance for state and local courts and juvenile justice agencies regarding the imposition and enforcement of fines and fees against youth and adults. The guidance came in a Dear Colleague letter from the Civil Rights Division, Office of the Assistant Attorney General, Office of […]
Tuesday, September 19, 2023 | news
Nation’s Oldest Civil Rights Legal Organization Says Federal Legislation to Protect Voters is Urgently Needed Today, long-time lead sponsor Rep. Terri Sewell of Alabama reintroduced the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (VRAA) in the United States House of Representatives, a piece of legislation that will strengthen voting rights for all Americans and protect voters from discrimination. In response, LDF […]
