CIVIL RIGHTS LITIGATION
The Civil Rights Act can be invoked whenever a state or local government official violates a federally guaranteed right. The most common use today is to redress violations of the Fourth Amendment's protection against unreasonable search and seizure. The most common lawsuits concern false arrest, police brutality, and police misconduct during or immediately after an arrest. Another common violation is racial profiling and racial discrimination that leads to an arrest.
You have constitutionally protected rights when you have been arrested, charged, or found guilty of a crime. Police officers are required to both enforce and follow the law, but occasionally these officers go too far and violate a suspect’s civil liberties. It is important you know how to protect your rights if you find yourself in a situation involving police misconduct or any other suspected civil rights violation.
Understanding Civil Rights Litigation
If you believe your rights have been violated, it is important to determine whether a “protected right” was violated. This includes the freedom of speech and freedom from certain types of discrimination. The various civil rights laws have made it illegal to discriminate based on: religion, race, color, national origin, sex, age, and handicap. Additionally, discrimination that interferes with equal opportunity in housing, employment and education is also illegal. Finally, it is unlawful for someone to discriminate in such a way as to interfere with your voting rights.
Coxwell and Associates have represented numerous individuals in civil rights lawsuits. We have helped people who have been seriously injured by police brutality. On one specific occasion, we obtained a $2.1 million verdict against a police department after officers suffocated a young man during his arrest. This particular case was tried before a jury and affirmed on appeal by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.
On another occasion, we obtained a settlement after the police broke the arm of a juvenile during his arrest. We have also handled cases where innocent by-stander citizens have been seriously injured or killed during high-speed police chases. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or killed due to the actions of a police officer or other state agent anywhere in Mississippi, or if your civil rights have been infringed upon in any way, our civil rights lawyers can help you receive the compensation you deserve.
Civil rights claims are important because they strike a balance between law enforcement’s duty to uphold the law and the rights of individuals to be free from police misconduct.
Please contact the civil rights lawyers at Coxwell and Associates, PLLC today to schedule a consultation. We serve clients in Jackson, Mississippi.
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