The free exercise clause of the First Amendment grants every American
the right to practice his or her own religion, or no religion at all.
The establishment clause requires the strict separation of church and
state. Together, these two principles ensure religious liberty.
More from the national ACLU >>
Press Releases - Litigation
Legal Advocacy and Policy Work
Legislative Reports - Resources - Events
Brigham City "Free Speech Zone" Ordinance Lawsuit Settled After City Repeals Ordinance
Posted 2/11/13 — The Main Street Church of Brigham City has settled its lawsuit challenging Brigham City’s “Free Speech Zone” Ordinance. The suit alleged that the Ordinance violated the Utah and United States Constitutions because it required a permit for almost any conceivable form of public expression and imposed civil and criminal penalties for failing to comply. The ACLU of Utah filed the suit on behalf of Main Street Church after the City relied on the Ordinance to bar the church from passing out pamphlets on certain sidewalks during the Brigham City LDS Temple Open House. After the lawsuit was filed, the City agreed to allow a limited number of Main Street Church representatives to pass out pamphlets on all sidewalks. Brigham City later repealed the Ordinance entirely. That repeal cleared the way for the out-of-court settlement the parties reached.
Read the full press release >>
Free Speech For All Returns to Brigham City
Posted 9/14/12 - As of yesterday evening, representatives of the Main Street Church have been peacefully handing out their literature on the public sidewalks surrounding the LDS Temple. The Main Street Church agreed to limit the number of its representatives to four on each side of the street. This agreement does not suspend the lawsuit filed against Brigham City. Main Street Church and the ACLU of Utah have not conceded that any past enforcement of the ordinance was constitutional. They also continue to contend that the ordinance is unconstitutional on its face and that it should be completely struck down by the court.
Read more >>
ACLU of Utah Files Complaint Challenging Brigham City's Unconstitutional "Free Speech Zone" Ordinance
Posted 9/11/12 - Today, the ACLU of Utah filed a complaint on behalf of the Main Street Church of Brigham City challenging Brigham City’s “Free Speech Zone” Ordinance. The suit alleges that on its face, the ordinance violates the Utah and United States Constitutions because it requires a permit for almost any conceivable form of public expression and imposes civil and criminal penalties for failing to comply. This ordinance could subject many unsuspecting people in Brigham City to liability for engaging in activities protected by the First Amendment.
Read more >>
Deseret News: Brigham City banned church flier distribution near new Mormon temple, lawsuit says >> (9/11/12)
Salt Lake Tribune: ACLU lawsuit: Speech restrictions at Mormon temple unconstitutional >> (9/11/12)
Press Releases
Free Speech For All Returns to Brigham City (9/14/12)
ACLU of Utah Files Complaint Challenging Brigham City's Unconstitutional "Free Speech Zone" Ordinance (9/11/12)
ACLU
files Main Street Plaza appeal (5/21/04)
Plaza
guards bounce students (and ACLU director) (3/25/04)
ACLU
returns to court in controversy over free speech in Salt Lake City’s
“Main Street Plaza” (8/7/03)
Tenth
Circuit ruling remains: Main Street Plaza easement is a public forum and
church’s restrictions on speech are unconstitutional (6/23/03)
Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals Reverses District
Court Decision on Main Street (10/9/02)
Tenth Circuit Court to Hear Arguments Regarding
the Constitutionality of the Main Street Plaza Restrictions (3/14/02)
ACLU Targets Religious Discounts as Religious Discrimination;
Sends Letters Urging that Unlawful Practice be Stopped (9/5/01)
ACLU of Utah Files Brief in Case Challenging Constitutionality
of Main Street Plaza Restrictions; Relies on Recent Federal Appeals Court
Decision (8/13/01)
ACLU
of Utah Asks the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals to Review the Constitutionality
of the Main Street Plaza Restrictions (6/4/01)
ACLU of Utah Cautions Utah Cities and State About
National Bible Week (11/20/98)
Litigation
Utah Gospel Mission v. Salt
Lake City Corporation
Nathan Clark v. Iron County
First Unitarian Church v. Salt Lake City Corporation
Van Gorden v. Utah State Fair
Larson v. Provo School District
Silvermans v. State of Utah
Legal Advocacy and Policy Work
Free Speech For All Returns to Brigham City (9/14/12)
ACLU of Utah Files Complaint Challenging Brigham City's Unconstitutional "Free Speech Zone" Ordinance (9/11/12)
Letter sent to Manti City Council about the sale of Manti Street and the First Amendment Concerns and the Deseret News Article (8/24/10)
A Chronological History of the ACLU Response to the Texas FLDS Raid (5/29/08)
ACLU of Utah advises Eastmont Middle School of
inappropriate religious material in its school yearbook; and
applauds principal’s positive response (8/27/07)
ACLU of Utah asks the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol to clarify whether it gives religious preferences in hiring (10/11/06)
Letter to the U.S. Army Recruiting
Office regarding a sign at an army recruiting booth implying the army
will pay for religious missions (12/20/04)
Letter
to Salem City regarding the use of government resources to sponsor and
promote LDS Church activities (3/7/04)
ACLU of Utah and national ACLU Policy on Plural Marriage (4/1/91)
Letter
to Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control regarding the Government Records
Access and Management Act (GRAMA)
From Our Legislative Reports
SB 111 “Free Exercise of Religion Without Government Interference” fails (2007)
Lawmakers pass comprehensive school vouchers law (2007)
Anti-evolution
bill fails (2006)
Resolution misstates the law
regarding students’ right to voluntarily pray and engage in
other religious expression in public school (2006)
“In God We Trust” is now in Utah public schools (2002)
Plural marriage bill amended to avoid serious First Amendment problems (2001)
Articles and Resources
12 Days of Religious Liberty (December 2011)
ACLU position on NYC Islamic Center (September 2010)
Proposed Sale of Manti Street Raises Significant First Amendment Concerns (Fall 2010)
Panel Discussions Explore Religious Rights with LGBT Equality (Summer 2010)
Blocking Faith, Freezing Charity (June 2009)
Why the ACLU of Utah Opposes H.B. 148, “Education Vouchers” (August 2007)
LDS Seminary in Public Schools (August 2007)
The ACLU and Freedom of Religion and Belief (November 2006)
ACLU Defense of Freedom of Religion and Religious Expression (November 2006)
Polygamy and the Constitution (Fall 2006)
Utah’s Bigamy Statute and the Right to Privacy and Religious Freedom (September 2006)
Divine Design (Fall 2005)
Recent Supreme
Court Decision Bolsters ACLU of Utah’s Arguments in Main Street
Case (July 2005)
The Teaching of Creationism, Intelligent
Design, and Divine Design in Public Schools (June 2005)
Information About the Main Street
Plaza Cases (Updated April 2005)
ACLU of Utah Supports Freedom of
Religion for Everyone (Fall 2003)
Ogden’s Ten Commandments Monument
Violates First Amendment (Fall 2002)
“In God We Trust” in the Classroom (January
2002)
Prayer Before City Council Meetings
and Legislative Sessions (November 2000)
Missionary Week in Public High Schools
(June 1999)
National ACLU Policy on Plural Marriage
(April 1991)
Events
Polygamy, Peyote, and the Pledge of Allegiance; The Minority Religious Experience in America - Wednesday, April 4th 2012 from 10:30-11:30 AM at Weber State University.
Reports
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