Partnership for Civil Justice Fund

Partnership for Civil Justice Fund
FounderCarl Messineo
Mara Verheyden-Hilliard
TypeNon-profit Progressive Legal Organization
Location
Websitewww.justiceonline.org

The Partnership for Civil Justice Fund (PCJF) is a nonprofit progressive legal organization based in Washington, D.C. Founded by Carl Messineo and Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, the organization focuses on cases regarding free speech and dissent, domestic spying and surveillance, police misconduct, and government transparency.

The Partnership is known for litigating on behalf of protesters in First Amendment cases.[1][2] It has frequently sued the District of Columbia government and D.C. police department. In addition to its litigation work in the courts, the Partnership also pursues freedom of information requests to obtain public records relating to police surveillance of activist groups. In 2003, the Washington Post called the organization "the constitutional sheriffs for a new protest generation."[3]

  1. ^ Rob Hotakainen, Provocative hats and pot: Protesters fight for space and permits in inaugural splash, McClatchy DC (January 5, 2017).
  2. ^ Perry Stein, Activists slam Park Service, Trump camp for handling of land for inauguration, Washington Post (January 5, 2017).
  3. ^ David Montgomery, Stirring a Cause, Washington Post (May 12, 2003).