Civil rights guarantee equal protection under the law for all citizens, regardless of race, religion, national origin, color, sex, disability, age, etc.

These rights are an important part of democracy. However, these rights differ slightly from human rights (which are natural rights all humans possess) and civil liberties (which are freedoms that occur by restricting the government).

Sometimes, civil rights can be violated. When people’s civil rights are violated, they often bring their case to court or stage some form of protest.

For example, in the Civil Rights Movement made famous by activists like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his contemporaries in the 1950s and 60s, were fighting against discrimination against Black people on a national scale, which was a vast violation of civil rights.

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that people in police custody MUST be provided adequate medical care, and a failure to provide such care may be cruel and unusual punishment.

When police use excessive force on citizens and overstep their bounds, they must be held accountable. You’ll need an experienced civil rights lawyer to do that.

Yes. If a police officer did not respect your rights or caused you harm, you can sue them. The process can be expensive and lengthy, however. You’ll need the help of an experienced civil right attorney to guide you through the case.

First and foremost, you have the right to remain silent. You should not speak with law enforcement until you have an attorney present. This right is to help protect you from self-incrimination.

Even if the police officers threaten you with jail time, a grand jury, or under the guise of an “interview,” you should stay silent until you have consulted your attorney.

If you believe you have been discriminated against because of race, religion, national origin, sex, etc., you can file a civil rights complaint in writing or online.

Yes. These types of complaints must be filed within 180 days of the discriminatory act.

A false arrest occurs when someone unlawfully restrains someone else’s freedom of movement. For example, holding someone against their will or taking them into custody without consent or legal justification to do so.

People other than police officers can commit false arrests, but typically false arrests occur when police hold someone or arrest them without any grounds.

A conviction is wrongful if the person convicted is innocent of the charges or if there were procedural errors in the case that violated the person’s rights.

If you know someone who has been wrongfully convicted, you should know that the path to overturning this conviction could be a long one. However, civil rights attorneys like Carol Powell Lexing work diligently to help people thrust into these horrible circumstances through a variety of methods, including DNA testing.

A wrongful death occurs when someone is killed because of another person’s negligence or misconduct. If you have lost a loved one because of a drunk driver, a preventable accident at work, etc., you may have a wrongful death claim. Consult an attorney to learn more.