Get Help: Requesting Assistance from ACLU-TN

Frequently Asked Questions

Printable Complaint Form (47 KB)

LGBT Complaint Form

Other Resources

 

ACLU-TN works to protect the freedoms guaranteed to all Americans by the Bill of Rights, including the freedoms of speech and religion, privacy, and fair treatment by government.

Each year, ACLU-TN responds to thousands of calls and letters requesting assistance. We respond in several ways:

• Provide information in response to specific inquiries or complaints
• Coach people on how to assert their own rights
• Advocate on behalf of individuals
• Provide direct legal representation in some cases
• Write amicus (“friend of the court”) briefs in support of civil liberties issues in lawsuits already underway
• Refer people to the appropriate government or private agency that may be better able to deal with their complaint
• Maintain database of complaints in order to respond to patterns of civil liberties abuses that develop in counties across Tennessee

Among the issues we are interested in are freedom of speech; freedom of religion; privacy—especially in the workplace; discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation or disability; police misconduct; censorship in public schools or libraries; fair application of school discipline; access to government documents; inhumane jail and prison conditions; and other issues involving fair treatment by the government.

Although there are exceptions, ACLU-TN generally does not assist in criminal defense, post-conviction appeals, divorce or custody matters, property disputes, tax problems, landlord-tenant disputes, appeals of building code violations, or complaints about lawyers or judges.

Important Note About Deadlines
All legal claims have time deadlines. The deadlines may be different depending on who violated your rights and depending on what rights were violated. For some kinds of violations, you may need to file a claim with a government agency before you can sue, and these agencies usually have their own time deadlines. Many of these deadlines are very short. ACLU-TN cannot give you advice about the deadlines that apply to your case. To protect your rights, please consult with an attorney promptly to find out what deadlines apply in your case. For a list of sources to help find an attorney, please click here.