Mission of the AHLC

Appignani Humanist Legal Center Launches with a Strong Start

Despite the Humanist movement's long history of utilizing the courts to stand-up for our rights, no group has ever had more than a handful of lawyers assisting with the process. To address this, and to ensure that our constitutional rights are represented in court, the American Humanist Association (AHA) launched the Appignani Humanist Legal Center (AHLC) in mid-May 2006. Through amicus activity and litigation, our team of pro-bono lawyers, including Humanist luminaries such as Jim McCollum, Wendy Kaminer, and Michael Newdow, provides legal assistance to defend the constitutional rights of religious and secular minorities by directly challenging clear violations of the law where it relates to First Amendment/Establishment Clause concerns.

Latest News

"Make a Difference with God"

The AHLC's first solo litigation was filed on November 29, 2006, in the Florida Southern District Court. Attorney James Hurley, the AHLC lawyer serving as lead counsel, filed suit against the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections on behalf of Plaintiff Jerry Rabinowitz, whose polling place was a church in Delray Beach, Florida. The church featured numerous religious symbols, including signs exhorting people to "Make a Difference with God" and anti-abortion posters, that clearly demonstrate a violation of the Establishment Clause. [cont...]

Additionally, the AHLC has provided legal assistance to other atheist organizations nationwide in helping them to draft their own amicus letters. See our Legal Activity pages for more information.