American Center for Law and Justice

The information on this page was last updated 4/26/2023. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]


Summary

Founded in 1990 with the mandate to protect religious and constitutional freedoms, the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) engages legal, legislative, and cultural issues by implementing an effective strategy of advocacy, education, and litigation that includes representing clients before the Supreme Court of the United States and international tribunals around the globe.

Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the ACLJ's work reaches across the globe with affiliated offices in Israel, Russia, France, Pakistan, South Korea, and Zimbabwe. In addition to its religious liberties work, the ACLJ also focuses on constitutional law involving the issues of national security, human life, judicial nominations, and protecting patriotic expression such as our National Motto and the Pledge of Allegiance.


Contact information

Mailing address:
American Center for Law and Justice
PO Box 90555
Washington, DC 20090-0555

Website: www.aclj.org

Phone: (757) 802-9160

Email: [email protected]


Organization details

EIN: 541586817

CEO/President: Dr. Jay Alan Sekulow

Chairman: Dr. M.G. "Pat" Robertson

Board size: 8

Founder: Dr. M.G. "Pat" Robertson

Ruling year: 1994

Tax deductible: Yes

Fiscal year end: 03/31

Member of ECFA: No

Member of ECFA since:


Purpose

The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) is a public benefit corporation committed to insuring the ongoing viability of constitutional freedoms in accordance with principles of justice as outlined in Scripture. As a public interest law firm the ACLJ is dedicated to the concept that freedom and democracy are God given inalienable rights that must be protected both domestically and internationally.

The ACLJ engages in litigation, provides legal services, renders advice and counsels clients, and supports attorneys who are involved in defending the religious and civil liberties of Americans.

The American Center has a national network of attorneys who are committed to the defense of Judeo-Christian values. We also cooperate with other organizations that are committed to a similar mission, and serve the public through educational efforts regarding First Amendment and religious freedom issues as well as pro-family and pro-life concerns.

As a nonprofit organization that does not charge for its legal services, the American Center for Law and Justice is dependent upon God and the resources He provides through the time, talent, and gifts of people who share their concerns over the erosion of our religious and civil liberties.


Mission statement

American Center for Law and Justice, Inc. d/b/a American Center for Law and Justice - National is a not-for-profit public benefit corporation as defined under Section 501(C)(3) on the Internal Revenue Code (IRC).

The Center and it globally affiliated organizations are committed to ensuring the ongoing viability of freedom and liberty in the United States and around the world. By focusing on the U.S. constitutional law, European Union law and human rights law, the Center and its affiliated organizations are dedicated to the concept that freedom and liberty are universal, God-given and inalienable rights that must be protected.

The Center and its worldwide affiliates engage in litigation, provide legal services, render advice to individuals and governmental agencies, as well as counsel clients on global freedom and liberty issues. The Center and its affiliated organizations also support training law students from around the world in order to protect religious liberty and safeguard human rights and dignity.


Statement of faith

Donor confidence score

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Transparency grade

C

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Financial efficiency ratings

Sector: Advocacy

This ministry has not been rated.


Financial ratios

Funding ratiosSector median20212020201920182017
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts =
Fundraising expense /
Total contributions
10%2%2%2%2%2%
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio =
Fundraising expense /
Total revenue
8%2%2%2%2%2%
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance =
Total contributions /
Total revenue
98%100%98%100%99%98%
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio =
Fundraising expense /
Total expenses
8%2%2%2%2%2%
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance =
Total other revenue /
Total revenue
2%0%2%0%1%2%
 
Operating ratiosSector median20212020201920182017
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio =
Program services /
Total expenses
80%88%89%89%89%89%
Spending ratio Spending ratio =
Total expenses /
Total revenue
92%100%99%99%99%99%
Program output ratio Program output ratio =
Program services /
Total revenue
70%88%88%88%89%89%
Savings ratio Savings ratio =
Surplus (deficit) /
Total revenue
8%0%1%1%1%1%
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate =
Surplus (deficit) /
Net assets
12%0%16%16%12%11%
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio =
Management and general expense /
Total expenses
10%10%9%9%9%9%
 
Investing ratiosSector median20212020201920182017
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover =
Total expenses /
Total assets
1.428.6510.639.9211.6111.29
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment =
Total assets /
Total current assets
1.262.252.192.293.012.82
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover =
Total expenses /
Total current assets
2.0319.4623.2422.7234.9531.85
 
Liquidity ratiosSector median20212020201920182017
Current ratio Current ratio =
Total current assets /
Total current liabilities
9.892.162.361.541.261.07
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio =
Total current liabilities /
Total current assets
0.100.460.420.650.790.94
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level =
(Total current assets -
Total current liabilities) /
(Total expenses / 12)
5.640.330.300.190.070.02
 
Solvency ratiosSector median20212020201920182017
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio =
Total liabilities /
Total assets
16%25%27%37%38%45%
Debt ratio Debt ratio =
Debt /
Total assets
0%0%0%0%0%0%
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio =
Net assets /
Total expenses
60%9%7%6%5%5%

Financials

Balance sheet
 
Assets20212020201920182017
Cash$653,060$692,418$763,281$324,520$493,745
Receivables, inventories, prepaids$310,358$149,639$97,825$190,172$63,354
Short-term investments$173,308$133,184$141,843$139,309$129,643
Other current assets$38,137$38,137$0$0$0
Total current assets$1,174,863$1,013,378$1,002,949$654,001$686,742
Long-term investments$1,393,500$1,106,080$1,228,943$1,234,973$1,196,724
Fixed assets$74,636$94,962$56,236$69,536$45,091
Other long-term assets$0$0$9,737$9,737$9,737
Total long-term assets$1,468,136$1,201,042$1,294,916$1,314,246$1,251,552
Total assets$2,642,999$2,214,420$2,297,865$1,968,247$1,938,294
 
Liabilities20212020201920182017
Payables and accrued expenses$513,616$389,453$610,190$477,158$608,810
Other current liabilities$30,487$39,943$40,806$40,641$34,411
Total current liabilities$544,103$429,396$650,996$517,799$643,221
Debt$0$0$0$0$0
Due to (from) affiliates$0$0$0$0$0
Other long-term liabilities$109,237$164,832$196,881$225,664$223,052
Total long-term liabilities$109,237$164,832$196,881$225,664$223,052
Total liabilities$653,340$594,228$847,877$743,463$866,273
 
Net assets20212020201920182017
Without donor restrictions$1,989,659$1,620,192$1,449,988$1,224,784$1,072,021
With donor restrictions$0$0$0$0$0
Net assets$1,989,659$1,620,192$1,449,988$1,224,784$1,072,021
 
Revenues and expenses
 
Revenue20212020201920182017
Total contributions$22,851,281$23,394,559$22,971,769$22,841,907$21,572,651
Program service revenue$0$0$0$0$289,804
Membership dues$0$0$0$0$0
Investment income$0$0$27,905$102,594$104,674
Other revenue$9,171$417,236$17,218$65,410$21,244
Total other revenue$9,171$417,236$45,123$168,004$415,722
Total revenue$22,860,452$23,811,795$23,016,892$23,009,911$21,988,373
 
Expenses20212020201920182017
Program services$20,159,758$20,960,742$20,339,186$20,391,950$19,569,390
Management and general$2,184,257$2,157,970$2,062,888$2,105,836$1,961,426
Fundraising$518,807$430,881$389,614$359,359$343,446
Total expenses$22,862,822$23,549,593$22,791,688$22,857,145$21,874,262
 
Change in net assets20212020201920182017
Surplus (deficit)($2,370)$262,202$225,204$152,766$114,111
Other changes in net assets$371,837($91,998)$0$0$0
Total change in net assets$369,467$170,204$225,204$152,766$114,111

Compensation

NameTitleCompensation
Thomas P Monaghan EsqSr. Counsel/Secretary/Treasurer$564,829
Frank Manion EsqVP of Reg Litigation$472,995
Matthew Clark EsqSenior Attorney$407,732
Robert Ash EsqSenior Attorney$403,322
Ed White EsqSenior Attorney$379,963
Gary Sekulow Cpa CgmaCOO/Vp of Finance$370,724
Harry G Hutchison EsqSenior Attorney$349,033
Miles TerryAttorney$329,826
James Murphy EsqVP of Admin$133,650

Compensation data as of: 3/31/2021


Response from ministry

No response has been provided by this ministry.


The information below was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 4/26/2023. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]ywatch.com


History

In 1990, Dr. M.G. "Pat" Robertson, a Yale law school graduate, religious leader, entrepreneur, and concerned citizen, decided to act to undo the damage done by almost a century of liberal thinking and activism. He founded the American Center for Law and Justice.

The ACLJ, in just a few years, has become this nation's pre-eminent public interest law firm and educational organization dedicated to defending and advancing religious liberty, the sanctity of human life, and the two-parent, marriage-bound family.

From the U.S. Supreme Court to local school boards, lawyers of the ACLJ have been defending the rights of believers, standing up for the unborn, the elderly and the infirm, and reasserting the primary rights of parents and the centrality of the family.

Already the ACLJ has proven a formidable opponent to those who would seek to undermine these fundamental institutions of the American civilization. Here are just a few examples of how the American Center for Law and Justice has helped people who have had their religious or civil liberties attacked.

  • When abortion supporters alleged that pro-life social protest was discrimination against women, the ACLJ went to the U.S. Supreme Court in Bray v. Alexandria Women's Health Clinic and guaranteed that persons opposed to abortion are free to express those views peacefully without the threat of censorship or recrimination through the misuse of federal anti-discrimination laws.
  • When a school would not rent its facilities to a local church because of the religious content of the church's message, we went to the U.S. Supreme Court in Lamb's Chapel v. Center Moriches School District, and won the important right for religious groups to have equal access to public facilities.
  • When students are told they cannot start Bible clubs in their schools, or when their Bible clubs don't receive equal treatment like other clubs, our legal teams spring into action to defend the student's rights.


These victories have been accomplished in spite of the intense opposition of groups like the American Civil Liberties Union(ACLU). They have openly named us as their adversary. So have People for the American Way, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Planned Parenthood and many other special-interest activist groups.

The hostility of these organizations is a backdoor compliment. It shows us that we are making progress. It means that we cannot, we must not, stop or slow down our efforts.

Program accomplishments

The Organization has participated in numerous Supreme Court, circuit court, court of appeals and state superior court cases regarding freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and other U.S. constitutional issues. Research staff at the Center provides up to date information regarding various cases related to the protection of religious freedom and human rights.


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