On June 9, 2025, FFRF and a coalition of partners filed a lawsuit on behalf of multifaith and nonreligious residents of Jefferson County, Illinois, seeking removal of a seven-foot-tall Ten Commandments monument from the Jefferson County Courthouse lawn.
The monument was first placed in the courthouse lobby in 2024 by Jefferson County Sheriff Jeff Bullard. The monument was later moved to the front lawn of the courthouse. The lawsuit alleges that public dollars were used to relocate the monument to its current outdoor location.
The plaintiffs—both religious and nonreligious Jefferson County residents—argue that the monument violates the constitutional principle of religious freedom and undermines the rights of all county residents regardless of their faith or lack thereof.
The lawsuit was filed in Illinois’ 2nd Judicial Circuit, following the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners’ decision to retain the monument on county property.
The plaintiffs are represented by the ACLU, the ACLU of Illinois, and FFRF. Senior Litigation Counsel Sam Grover and Legal Fellow Hirsh M. Joshi are serving as co-counsel.
