Civil Rights Litigation

Civil rights actions pertain to any abuses by individuals or government entities against others. Usually these abuses are for violations of constitutional rights, such as the right to be free of cruel and unusual punishment or to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures. These cases may be filed in state or federal court, depending on the facts of the case.

42 U.S.C. 1983 states: “Every person who, under color of any statute, ordinance, regulation, custom, or usage, of any State or Territory or the District of Columbia, subjects, or causes to be subjected, any citizen of the United States or other person within the jurisdiction thereof to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the Constitution and laws, shall be liable to the party injured in an action at law.”

Our firm has handled numerous civil rights actions against individuals and public entities. It is important that an attorney be consulted as soon as possible following the civil rights violation because failure to do so may prevent you from filing any legal action whatsoever.