Scott Chinn Talks About the Role of the ACLU in Our Democracy in Indiana Lawyer

In an Indiana Lawyer article, Scott Chinn of Faegre Baker Daniels reflected back on his time working as corporation counsel for the city of Indianapolis. Soon after he started, a case spearheaded by the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana was brought to the U.S. Supreme Court in 2000. At issue in Indianapolis v. Edmonds was whether the Indianapolis police department's vehicle checkpoints to search for drugs constituted a violation of the Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable search and seizure.

In a 6-3 ruling, the Court concluded that Indianapolis had carried the practice too far and decided in favor of Edmonds. More than a decade later, rather than resenting the outcome of the case, Chinn praises the determination of the ACLU. "I like it best when my government clients appreciate that part of the checks and balances that we need to have in government, in our democracy, is realizing the need to have a strong advocate for civil liberties to challenge government actions," Chinn said.