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 […]
Thursday, December 19, 2013 | news
Statement from Sherrilyn A. Ifill, President and Director-Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. applauds President Obama’s decision today to commute the sentences of eight people currently serving extraordinarily inflated prison terms for nonviolent crack cocaine offenses. The President’s ability to commute sentences is an extraordinary power, […]
Thursday, November 20, 2014 | news
(Washington, D.C.)–The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. supports President Obama’s decision to use executive authority to begin building a framework for comprehensive immigration reform. The President’s action is a positive first step to address the approximately 11 million undocumented immigrants who currently reside in the United States, many of whom are children who […]
Tuesday, December 13, 2022 | news
Today, President Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act into law after bipartisan votes in the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate advanced the bill to his desk on December 8. In response to the Act becoming law, Legal Defense Fund (LDF) President and Director-Counsel Janai Nelson issued the following statement: “LDF […]
Friday, January 17, 2025 | news
Today, President Biden commuted the sentences of thousands of people incarcerated under racially disparate sentencing schemes, including those resulting from the War on Drugs, and many more who are serving sentences they would not receive under today’s law and the Biden Administration’s policies. This act of clemency will result in sentencing reductions for nearly 2,500 […]
Thursday, October 6, 2022 | news
Today, President Biden announced major steps in reforming the nation’s long-standing criminalization of people – disproportionately Black and Brown persons – for possessing or using cannabis, including pardons for prior federal offenses related to cannabis possession. In response, Legal Defense Fund (LDF) President and Director-Counsel Janai Nelson issued the following statement: “We strongly applaud President Biden […]
Friday, December 20, 2013 | news
LDF is delighted that President Obama has nominated Sharon Y. Bowen to be the next Commissioner of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). This appointment is a welcome addition to the President’s recent appointment of women and African Americans to key positions in the financial regulatory regime. If confirmed, Ms. Bowen will be the first […]
