Prior Constitutional Cases Handled by Staff:

Our staff attorney, Rich Ackerman, has been involved in many of the most pressing constitutional issues of our time.  These groundbreaking issues relate to the First Amendment, Tenth Amendment, Ninth Amendment, and Fourteenth Amendment. We litigate marriage rights, parental rights, medical rights, student rights, equal education rights, minority rights, religious freedom, Free Press rights, and other issues.  We strongly support states' rights, the right to life, the preservation of the natural family unit, and the right of all to be free from unreasonable governmental interference.

 

Sample cases include:

Nowell v. LACMTA

(Advocacy for the Homeless -- Case involving homeless person who has been denied access to public bus transportation and physically thrown off buses by LAMTA drivers simply because of his appearance).

 

In Re Marriage Cases

(California - 10th Amendment/Equal Protection -- Mr. Ackerman served as lead California counsel for Campaign for California Families in the Marriage Cases litigation at the trial level's initial phases and prepared the complaint against Mayor Newsom which triggered one of the largest public interest cases of our time).

 

 Swerdlow v. County of Riverside

(California - 10th Amendment -- Counsel is leading the charge on claims against the County of Riverside for violating the medical/privacy rights of patients who have been recommended the use of medical marijuana products by a physician.  This case also challenges the notion in Roe v. Wade that the federal government can determine all personal rights concerning general welfare and morals).

 

In Re Press Pass Application of WorldNetDaily.com

(U.S. Senate Rules Comm. / Press Gallery - 1st Amendment -- This case was argued by Mr. Ackerman before the United States Senate Press Gallery.  In this instance, WND was denied a Congressional Press Pass because it was "too conservative."  This denial took place even though the Chinese and Egyptian state-run newspapers had access to the Whitehouse, Congress and other related offices, whereas WND was denied the same right even after decades of respected journalism by its founders).


Newdow v. U.S. Congress

(Federal - 1st Amendment -- This case involved the representation of state legislators, advocacy groups, and individuals in amicus briefing regarding the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance).


Levi v. O'Connell

(California - Education Law -- The Levi case involved the unfair treatment of academically gifted children and whether or not declaratory relief could be granted to a private citizen as against the California Department of Education where a local school district was allegedly violating a state-wide law).


ACLU v. Ashcroft

(Federal - First Amendment -- Lead counsel on appellate amicus briefing a the United States Supreme Court on children's access to pornography at public libraries and other public computer terminals).


Catholic Charities v. Sup. Ct.

(California - 1st Amendment -- A case, with amicus briefing, on the issue of whether the Catholic Church could 'discriminate' by not providing insurance coverage for birth control on moral grounds).

 

NTLC v. Schwarzenegger

(California - Exec. Powers -- This case helped stop the backroom deals being done by the Governor's Office during the California Electricity Crisis.  Mr. Ackerman served as lead counsel against the Administration).


Friery v. LAUSD

(Federal - 9th/14th Amendments -- This case involved overt discrimination against a "white" teacher who sought to transfer to a different program within the LAUSD.  He was denied because of his race and the District admitted as much, but claimed that minority percentages of employees were necessary.  Lead counsel in case that ended up being published by the Ninth Circuit twice {Friery I and Friery II}).

 

Ackerman v. Riverside Sup. Ct.

(California - 1st Amendment -- Mr. Ackerman sued the Riverside County Superior Court over its intention to remove a quote from Department "8 which adorned its walls and had been there for decades.  The quote said "The True Christian is the True Citizen."  The quote remains on the wall of the Court to this day).


Lawrence v. State of Texas

(Federal - 10th Amendment -- The Lawrence case is known as the "Texas sodomy" case.  In this particular matter, Mr. Ackerman filed amicus briefing with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of a limited ability of government to regulate even purely private sexual conduct where the conduct posed a risk to society by creating health risks).


Our attorneys' efforts have led to a number of published decisions in various areas of constitutional jurisprudence at the state and federal levels.

 

We take constitutional cases on an individual basis and such cases are selected based on public policy, respect for a strict interpretation of the U.S. Constitution, and where time permits us to provide zealous representation in such cases.