Seeking legal help from the ACLU-D.C.

The ACLU of the District of Columbia works to protect and extend civil liberties and civil rights in our local community, Washington, DC. We do this by filing lawsuits, educating the public, and lobbying the DC government.

Before you write to us, please read this page. We take only take a limited number of cases, and with regret must turn down some requests even when serious injustice has occurred.

If our response criteria are not met or followed accordingly, we cannot respond to your complaint or assist you:

• We cannot respond to requests about events that happened outside of Washington D.C., unless they involve the federal or D.C. government.
• Requests for help must include: (1) your name, (2) your phone number, (3) your email, and (4) a detailed description of your complaint (“Please help me” or “Please call me about the police” is not enough). Unless you include all of those items, we cannot respond.
• We accept voicemail requests only if you are unable to send an email or use our web form — for instance, if you have a disability that prevents you from typing your complaint, you don’t have computer access, or if you are incarcerated or unhoused. If you leave a voicemail and do not clearly say why you’re unable to email or use our web form, we cannot respond to you.

Here are some answers to FAQ’s about filing a claim with us.

To request help: please email us at [email protected] or file a complaint through our web portal. You may leave a voicemail at 202-601-4269, but only if you explain why you are unable to email or use our web form as described above.

If you have a case not involving civil liberties or civil rights, please see our resource guide for help with other legal problems in the DC area.

For requests for legal help that meet the requirements listed above, we review and respond within 4 to 6 weeks. We do not accept requests to expedite any cases.

If your civil liberties or civil rights were violated, you may email us at [email protected] or file a complaint through our web portal.

Here are some answers to FAQ’s about filing a claim with us.

Another way to contact us about a civil rights or civil liberties violation is to leave a voicemail at 202-601-4269, but please note that intakes received through our web portal or [email protected] are processed up to twice as fast as voicemails. If you do leave a voicemail, please include your email and/or mailing address.

If you have a case not involving civil liberties or civil rights, please see our resource guide for help with other legal problems in the DC area.