Violations of constitutional rights and civil liberties are widespread, yet the ACLU-AZ is a small organization with limited resources. We receive hundreds of request for assistance each month and have to turn down the overwhelming majority of those requests.
Please Note:
The ACLU-AZ is not a general legal service organization and we normally cannot provide emergency services.
The ACLU-AZ is able to provide legal assistance in only a small number of cases.
The ACLU-AZ does not review or discuss requests for legal assistance in person, over the telephone, or by e-mail. You must complete our online complaint form.
What We Do:
The ACLU-AZ handles cases that involve violations of civil liberties and civil rights as protected by the Arizona and U.S. Constitutions and the Bill of Rights. Civil liberties include the right to due process and equal protection of the law, as well as freedom of expression; freedom of the press; religious freedom; the right of association; the right of privacy; the right to be free of unreasonable searches and seizures; and the right to be free of cruel and unusual punishment.
In most cases, these constitutional provisions apply only to the government. Accordingly, in most cases, a legal matter raises a civil liberties issue only when a government official or government agency is responsible for violating your rights.
What We Do Not Do:
Although there are some exceptions, the ACLU-AZ DOES NOT ACCEPT the following types of cases: criminal defense, post-conviction appeal, termination from a job without good reason, unfair treatment at work, family law and child custody matters, landlord-tenant disputes, complaints against attorneys or judges, and challenges to convictions or prison sentences.
If the ACLU-AZ does not accept your case, we will not provide legal advice. We will not be able to answer any legal questions, conduct legal research, or provide information about the legal deadlines that might apply to your situation.
To ask a quick legal question for a minimal fee, contact the Lawyer Referral Service at (602) 257-4434 or (520) 623-8258.
To Request Help:
The best and fastest way to request help from ACLU-AZ is by completing our online complaint form. If we believe we can assist you, we will contact you for more information within ten business days. If you do not hear from us within ten business days, we are unable to assist you at this time.
The online complaint form is the preferred way for you to submit a complaint. If there is absolutely no way for you to submit your complaint online, please complete the printable complaint form and mail it to: ACLU-AZ Intake, P.O. Box 17148, Phoenix, AZ 85011. If we believe we can assist you, we will contact you for more information within four to eight weeks. To request a complaint form be mailed to you, call (602) 850-1854 ext. 112 and leave a message with your name and complete mailing address.
Important information about deadlines (Statutes of Limitation)
All legal claims have time deadlines. These deadlines are different depending on the nature of the legal claim, the persons who violate your rights, and which particular rights were violated. Contacting the ACLU-AZ to describe your problem does not mean that ACLU-AZ attorneys represent you, and contacting the ACLU-AZ does not stop these time deadlines from running. The ACLU-AZ cannot provide you with advice about which time deadlines might apply to your particular situation. To ensure that your rights are protected, you may need to consult an attorney promptly to find out what time deadlines may apply in your case.
