JOIN

Help defend civil liberties by joining or renewing your membership.

JOIN NOW
DONATE

Help by becoming a monthly giver or making a one-time gift.

DONATE NOW

Because Freedom Can't Protect Itself

The ACLU is 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, including:

  • Your First Amendment rights - freedom of speech, association and assembly; freedom of the press, and freedom of religion.
  • Your right to equal protection under the law - protection against unlawful discrimination.
  • Your right to due process - fair treatment by the government whenever the loss of your liberty or property is at stake.
  • Your right to privacy - freedom from unwarranted government intrusion into your personal and private affairs.

The ACLU also works to extend rights to segments of our population that have traditionally been denied their rights, including people of color; women; lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender people; and prisoners.

 
 

ACLU Montana Blog

  • Happy 20th birthday to the National Voter Registration ActIt seems routine today. But it wasn't always the case that you could register to vote when you went to get your driver's license. People in all 50 states can do that today on a one-page, standardized form, thanks to the National Voter Registration Act, signed into law 20 years ago today. The act als ...
    Readmore...
  • Rude awakening with some not-so-friendly Breakfast FlakesThis blog entry first appeared on our Fair is Fair Montana website. You never know what a new morning will bring:  A hot cup of coffee, an amusing article in the newspaper,  homophobic comments about being gay being akin to pedophilia, bestiality and incestuous behavior…  Wai ...
    Readmore...
  • Maryland Makes History and Mississippi Makes a Grave Mistake  Maryland made history today as the first state south of the Mason-Dixon Line to abolish the death penalty.  Maryland becomes the 18th state country wide to end this archaic and inhuman practice.  For activists and supporters in Maryland it is time for a celebration of their hard wor ...
    Readmore...
  • Film portrays public defenders' brave strugglePublic Defender Travis Williams doesn't have the resources to test fingerprints. His client faces 10 years to life in prison, but Williams operates on a shoestring budget. So he does what he has to do. He tricks the prosecutor into testing the fingerprints by making a motion to have them barred as e ...
    Readmore...

We're hiring

The ACLU of Montana is seeking a new legal director.


2013 Montana Legislative Session

We saw major victories for privacy and voting rights this session. Learn about the good, bad and ugly of what happened at the Capitol in our 2013 Montana Legislative Summary.


Public Defense

50 years after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Gideon v. Wainwright that poor defendants have a right to a public defender, underfunding of public defense continues to be a problem. Learn more.


Sign-up for E-lerts

You can help protect civil liberties.Sign up to have alerts e-mailed to you.


Helena Nondiscrimination Ordinance

The city of Helena passed an LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination ordinance on Dec.17, protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in housing employment and public accommodations.

Read more


Spring 2013 Newsletter

Overview of the 2013 Legislative Session, ways to reduce solitary confinement, death penalty abolition and more.


Fair is Fair

Support a Montana where everyone is valued.

Read more


Religion and Public Schools

Students have a right to religious freedom. Our new guide explains how that right must be protected in public schools.

MT Supreme Court rules domestic partnership case can move forward

The Montana Supreme Court issued a decision ruling against the ACLU's request for immediate full domestic partnership protection for same-sex couples, but said that the case could move forward challenging same-sex couples' lack of protection in individual statutes.

Read more


2012 Rankin Awards

On Dec. 1 we honored Planned Parenthood of Montana and Flathead High School senior Barrie Sue Sugarman for their work protecting civil liberties.

Read more