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Cases and Issues
Some Criticism of 'Citizens United' Unjustified --Scott Forsyth clarifys a commonly held idea about this controversial decision in the Daily Record of 1-05-11.
Border Patrol's Authority Is Not Unlimited -- Legal legal chair Scott Forsyth discusses the mess created when border patrol officers make a less-than-Solomon-like decision in a case of domestic abuse and child custody that infringe on constitutional rights in the Daily Record of 12-22-2010.
The Real Cost of DOMA -- Scott Forsyth discusses the implications of DOMA on survivor tax obligations in the Daily Record of 12-1-11.
How Collecting Sales Tax Could Violate Your Privacy -- Legal Chair Scott Forsyth discusses the implications of some states’ demands of on-line vendors such as Amazon.com, to provide information about customers in the Daily Record of 11-17-2010.
California's Weedy Issue -- Scott Forsyth ruminates on a voter referendum to legalize the growing and possession of small amounts of marihuana in theDaily Record of 11-3-2010.
To Kill A State Secret -- GVC legal chair Scott Forsyth discusses privileged and non-privileged evidence in state sponsored lethal targeting cases in the Daily Record of 10-6-2010.
Bordering On Unconstitutional -- Scott Forsyth discusses privacy rights at our borders, particularly as they relate to electronic data storage devices, in the Daily Record of 9-22-2010.
Death Without Due Process -- Scott Forsyth questions the authority of the president to order the assassination of citizens without due process in the Daily Record of 9-8-2010.
Another Sad Chapter In Gitmo's History -- Scott Forsyth questions the trial of Amar Khadr for war-crimes he is alleged to have committed as a child in the Daily Record of 8-18-2010.
Immigrant Courts Need An Overhaul -- GVC legal chair Scott Forsyth sheds light on a problem with our immigration courts in the Daily Record of 8-4-2010.
Adultery: Your Choice? -- Legal chair Scott Forsyth examines aspects of the recent arrest in Batavia of a married woman in the Daily Record of 7-21-2010.
Humanitarians v. Terrorists -- Legal chair Scott Forsyth writes about the ramifications of the SCOTUS decision of Holder v. Humanitarian Law Project on free speech in the Daily Record of 7-7-2010.
Not Obama, You Say? -- Legal Chair Scott Forsyth questions the Obama administration position on policies regarding the civil liberties of the detainees held at Bagram Air Force base in the Daily Record of 6-2-2010.
In a Rush To Build a Movement? -- GVC legal chair Scott Forsyth explains the conflict between English language only ordinances and the First Amendment in the Daily Record of 5-12-2010.
If Not The Courts, Then Whom? -- GVC legal chair Scott Forsyth challenges the argument that the state legislature will address adequate criminal defense issues without judicial intervention in the Daily Record of 4-21-2010.
DNA: TMI? -- GVC legal chair Scott Forsyth explains the implications and concerns of expanding the DNA database to include persons arrested, but not convicted of a felony in the Daily Record of 4-07-2010.
Ensure Equal Justice -- Legal committee member Michael Burger examines compensation aspects that support civil rights litigation for the poor in the Daily Record of 1-13-2010.
"Educate Better Citizens" or "Title IX and the Single Man" -- GVC legal chair Scott Forsyth ruminates on a proposal to establish an all-male charter school in Rochester in the Daily Record of 03/03/10
Students' Speech Not Free Online -- Scott Forsyth explains court findings regarding school disciplinary measures against students on social web sites such as 'Facebook' in the Daily Record of 02/10/10.
Taking On The Toughest Sheriff -- Scott Forsyth writes about the ACLU taking on Arizona's Maricopa County Sheriff Joseph Arpaio in his defense of a draconian policy that infringes on women's rights in the Daily Record of 01/27/10.
With Bills Of Attainder, Conservatives Went Too Far -- GVC legal chair Scott Forsyth explains why a federal district court found Congress had passed a bill of attainder regarding the community organization ACORN in the Daily Record of 01/06/10.
SWL Outlawed In Oyster Bay -- Legal Chair Scott Forsyth addresses the issue of an ugly anti-immigration ordinance in the Daily Record of 12/23/09.
What Would The Grievance Committee Do? -- Scott Forsyth pardons the free speech rights of lawyers in the Daily Record of 12/09/09.
Stupak-Pitts Amendment Ban Rolls Back Rights -- Scott Forsyth explains how the amendment to the proposed health care bill threatens women's rights in the Daily Record of 11/25/09.
Stifling Free Speech -- GVC legal chair Scott Forsyth discusses recent police responses to protests in the Daily Record of 10/28/09.
A Tale Of Three GPS Cases -- Legal committee member David Ahl discusses perspectives on the "burdens (to) liberty" these wonder devices are capable of in Scott Forsyth's column in the Daily Record of 9/02/09.
'Gates', A Case Of Racial Profiling? -- Legal chair Scott Forsyth muses on the Professor Gates case and actions of the Rochester Police Department investigated by the GVC in the Daily Record of 8/12/09.
What's To Be Done About FAA And FISA -- Legal committee member Jane Yoon questions the effectiveness of warrantless wiretaps in Scott Forsyth's Daily Record column of 7/22/09.
Curfew Fog Lifted In New York -- David Ahl explains the three reasons why Rochester's curfew law was found to violate the constitution in Scott Forsyth's column in the Daily Record of 7/15/09.
Sexting the Fourth Amendment -- Legal Counsel Scott Forsyth reviews school policies regarding the new issue of sexting and Fourth Amendment implications in the Daily Record of 6/24/09.
Suppressing Outside Ideas -- Legal counsel Scott Forsyth discusses ideological exclusion, negative proofs and consular nonreviewability in the Daily Record of 6/10/09.
Learn From Our Mistakes -- Legal counsel Scott Forsyth answers those defending the use of torture in the Daily Record of 5/13/09.
Lost In The Fog Of Law ... In Massachusetts -- Scott Forsyth examines the limitations of "exercising First Amendment rights" exceptions in curfew laws in the Daily Record of 4/22/09.
Overtaxing Same-Sex Couples -- Scott Forsyth examines the taxing of health care benefits of spouses in same-sex marriages in the Daily Record of 4/8/09.
Faulty Reasoning From The Alliance Fund -- Scott Forsyth examines challenges to New York's recognition of out-of-state same-sex marriages in the Daily Record of 3/11/09.
"Brother, Can You Spare A Dollar?" -- Scott Forsyth examines the City of Rochester's "aggressive panhandling" ordinance in the Daily Record of 2/11/09.
Dancing on the Perimeter of the First Amendment -- Scott Forsyth muses on pole dancing, fitness and zoning enforcement in the Daily Record of 12/03/08.
Can unconstitutional curfew be enforced pending appeal? -- Scott Forsyth examines the risks the city of Rochester runs as it continues to enforce the unconstitutional Curfew Law in the Daily Record of 11/19/08.
Securing The Right To Vote, And Making It Count -- Laurence Britt discusses the issue of voting rights and voting irregularities.
Paying The Fee For The Damage Done -- Scott Forsyth discusses the further ramifications of a case concerning Freedom of Speech in school in the Daily Record of 10/01/08.
Schools Take Note: Obscurity Can Be Bliss -- Scott Forsyth discusses a case concerning Freedom of Speech in school in the Daily Record of 09/10/08.
Surveillance Without Limit -- Laurence W. Britt discusses the recent revisions to the FISA law in the Daily Record of 08/13/08.
More Civil Rights violations in Florida -- Scott Forsyth reviews a case involving the Pledge of Allegiance and parental consent in the Daily Record of 07/30/08.
Is police ignorance of the law an excuse? -- Scott Forsyth reviews a case where "Ignorance may be bliss, but the law should not hold that ignorance is power" in the Daily Record of 07/16/08. (PDF)
Same-sex marriage in New York State -- Scott Forsyth reviews the decision in the Martinez case in the The Daily Record of 02/21/08 (PDF)
Do you really think we need to have this discussion? -- Scott Forsyth reviews the Albany case of two Muslim Americans and the sealing of documents and an opinion. (last paragraph added to the The Daily Record version of 11/02//07) (PDF)
Protect America Act of 2007 -- Scott Forsyth reviews what is and isn't in the revision to FISA passed this summer. (The Daily Record 10/05/07) (PDF)
Reading Lists -- Jane Yoon reviews the Webster Central School District's decision to remove a book from its summer reading list. (The Daily Record, 9/14/06) (PDF)
Curfew -- Scott Forsyth considers the legitimacy of curfews. (The Daily Record)
Certificates of Relief -- Michael A. Burger discusses the use of a certificate of relief to restore a client's Second Amendment rights. (The Daily Record, 7/12/06) (PDF)
Student Speech -- Jane Yoon comments on the Ninth Circuit's recent decision regarding free speech in schools. (The Daily Record, 7/12/06) (PDF)
Immigration Reform -- Scott Forsyth discusses immigration reform. (The Daily Record)
School Locker Searches -- Amanda Oren explores students' privacy rights and school locker searches. (The Daily Record) (PDF)
Let Them Eat Cake -- Scott Forsyth reports on a freedom of speech case in the village of Caledonia. (The Daily Record) (PDF)
The Constitutionality of Border Searches -- Scott Forsyth discusses the constitutionality of border searches. Citizens returning from a religious conference in Canada were stopped at the border and detained for six hours. Read Scott Forsyth's account of their case, reprinted from The Daily Record. (PDF)
The Healthy Teens Act -- In the Fall GVCLU Newsletter, Barbara de Leeuw discusses this proposed law and urges readers to support it. To get county by county information about pregnancy rates and occurrences of sexually transmitted diseases, click here. This link will take you to the web site of "Get the Facts NY". Here is a link to their home page: Get the Facts NY.
A Flag Desecration Amendment? -- Read an article by Scott Forsyth. (PDF)
Does the Patriot Act allow excessive secrecy? -- Melissa Goodman, an attorney with the ACLU, spoke at our meeting on May 4. Here is an article she has written for the Daily Record on the topic. (PDF)
Benefits for same-sex partners at MCC? -- Read the NYCLU's press release about this case here.
Teaching Creationism -- Read an article by Scott Forsyth. (PDF)