News & Commentary

They signed their Christmas cards 'Michael and Diana Bijon.' But California authorities said his driver's license had to have his given name, Michael Buday. Today, the California man who tried for two years to take his wife's surname as his own got a new driver's license that made it official.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - One year and numerous investigations later, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has still not addressed the root causes of last year's melee in MacArthur Park in which hundreds of peaceful demonstrators and journalists were beaten and injured by LAPD officers, according to the ACLU of Southern California.

Michael Buday had no idea the State of California would take his simple request to get a new driver's license with his wife's surname and turn it into a two-year ordeal. But that's exactly what happened in this state where - until the ACLU of Southern California intervened - there was no state law guaranteeing the rights of both married couples and registered domestic partners to choose their own names. Today, Michael and Diana Bijon celebrated their happy ending at the Santa Monica office of the DMV. Read all about it. Photo courtesy of Brandon Wise, Santa Monica Daily Press.

The ACLU of Southern California, along with a coalition of civil rights groups, is supporting a call from California Assembly speaker Fabian Nuez and 22 other California lawmakers to stop immigration workplace raids in the state until an investigation determines whether federal agencies are following the law.

The ACLU of Southern California, along with a coalition of civil rights groups, is supporting a call from California Assembly speaker Fabian Nu�ez and 22 other California lawmakers to stop immigration workplace raids in the state until an investigation determines whether federal agencies are following the law.

The ACLU of Southern California, along with a coalition of civil rights groups, is supporting a call from California Assembly speaker Fabian Nu�ez and 22 other California lawmakers to stop immigration workplace raids in the state until an investigation determines whether federal agencies are following the law.

The following statement is from Melinda Bird, senior counsel at the ACLU of Southern California and director of the ACLU/SC Jails Project. The ACLU/SC monitors conditions in L.A. County Jails as part of a federal court agreement:

Civilian complaints about serious misconduct by L.A. police officers are downplayed by investigators, a recent citywide audit found for the third year in a row. Now the ACLU/SC has told the Police Commission, which oversees the department, that "three years is enough." The ACLU/SC called for civilian investigators or civilian supervisors.to take over responsibility for investigation of serious complaints from police officers, who currently investigate themselves.

Civilian complaints about serious misconduct by L.A. police officers are downplayed by investigators, a recent citywide audit found for the third year in a row. Now the ACLU/SC has told the Police Commission, which oversees the department, that "three years is enough." The ACLU/SC called for civilian investigators or civilian supervisors.to take over responsibility for investigation of serious complaints from police officers, who currently investigate themselves.