ACLU legal director Darcy Goddard resigns post

SALT LAKE CITY — The current legal director at the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah has resigned her post after less than two years on the job.

"Darcy Goddard has resigned as legal director of the ACLU of Utah to pursue other opportunities," ACLU Utah director Karen McCreary said Wednesday.

McCreary declined to elaborate on Goddard's resignation, including any inquiries as to whether she would be staying in the state, but was adamant that the organization will continue to pursue the projects Goddard was involved in.

"We'll continue to do the work we're doing: championing for the liberties of people of Utah," she said.

Goddard, hailed as an experienced litigator, was brought in around the time ACLU of Utah came under fire for not filing any legal action in the years spanning 2005 to 2010. She tackled a number of issues after she was hired in 2010, including the Ogden gang injunction, the e-signature issue and Salt Lake County Jail's immigration detainment policies.

Civil rights attorney Brian Barnard, who often works on cases with the organization, said Goddard turned the tide at the ACLU and brought with her "hope for change."

"She was starting to get the organization back on track," he said. "She is a competent litigator not afraid to file and aggressively pursue lawsuits when necessary."

He said he fears the Utah branch of the ACLU will retreat in Goddard's absence and "again fall back to being a social group that just talks and is afraid to file lawsuits when necessary to end problems and seek redress."

McCreary said the organization will conduct a nationwide search for Goddard's replacement.

Multiple calls to Goddard were not returned Wednesday.

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