Civil rights attorneys practice civil rights law, a broad scope of practice that pertains generally to violation of any of the rights guaranteed by federal or state laws, but in 21st century America has specific reference to employment discrimination, gender discrimination, racial profiling, and misconduct by any officer of the law.
Employment DiscriminationIf you are fired from your job because you refused to take part in a criminal act or because of whistleblower-related activities – reporting company fraud or other criminal activities to the proper authorities, say, or alerting the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) of safety violations – you may have grounds to bring a civil rights lawsuit for wrongful termination. Similarly, you may have grounds for a civil rights lawsuit if your employer discriminates against you on the basis of your race or your gender – and this includes pregnancy discrimination, gender-based wage disparities, and all forms of sexual harassment.
Gender DiscriminationGender discrimination can occur in a variety of contexts outside of employment venues. Gender discrimination can also apply to housing discrimination and to differential educational opportunities. Some states have laws specifically outlawing discrimination based on sexual orientation; these infractions are generally classified as a form of gender discrimination.
Racial Profiling“Racial profiling” is the name given to a type of police procedure in which an individual’s race is used as one of the determining factors in deciding whether or not an individual may have been involved in criminal activity. Since race is used explicitly as grounds for suspicion, by definition this is a civil rights violation.
Police MisconductIn the course of apprehending and subduing a suspect, police may be required to use reasonable physical force. But police brutality is never justified, even in those cases where the police officer herself may be threatened with the use of violence. As such, police brutality is always a violation of an individual’s civil rights. Unjustified search and seizure incidents, illegal detentions and false arrests may also be civil rights violations.
The first step in many allegations of civil rights violations involves filing a complaint with a state or federal agency that has specific oversight. Typically these agencies impose strict time limits on the subsequent filing of courtroom lawsuits. Experienced civil rights attorneys will be able to tell you whether filing an agency claim is necessary in your situation; additionally, experienced civil rights attorneys will be able to discuss all other aspects of your case, and the options available to you.
Listings for civil rights attorneys can be found online from many different sources. Some examples of websites with these listings include Find Law and Lawyers.
The United States Constitution guarantees every American citizen certain civil rights of personal liberty. Among these fundamental civil rights and liberties are the freedoms of speech, religion, assembly, and to petition the government, and the rights to bear arms
The main difference between a civil rights attorney and a human rights attorney is the scope of their work. Civil rights attorneys focus on protecting the rights of individuals under domestic law, while human rights attorneys focus on protecting the rights of individuals under international law. Civil rights attorneys typically work on cases involving discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or sexual orientation. Additionally, they may represent clients who have been violated by unreasonable search or who have been denied their due process rights. Civil rights lawyers can work in several places, such as commercial practice, government departments, and nongovernmental organizations. Human rights attorneys work on various cases involving human rights violations, such as torture, extrajudicial killings, and violations of freedom of speech, assembly, and religion. They may also work on cases involving the rights of refugees, and indigenous peoples. Human rights lawyers are often working abroad, such as with the United Nations or other international organizations.
Pay for civil law attorneys in California can be varied depending on the type of civil law and the position. Most civil law attorneys make anywhere from $85,000 to $125,000 a year.
The N.A.A.C.P trained and graduated the first civil rights attorneys, thanks in part to the efforts of civil rights pioneer, Charles Hamilton Houston. Houston was often considered the 'Moses' of the civil rights movement. Houston pioneered an equalization strategy which proved successful in trying these cases.
However, there are two agencies in the Bronx that handle civil rights and criminal cases: Bronx Legal Aid and Bronx Defenders. The catch is that you will have to show that you can't afford to hire a private attorney.
"Some discrimination attorneys will do pro bono work. To find one, one might check with a civil rights organization such as the American Civil Liberties Union or the NAACP."
There were the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Civil Rights Act of 1968, but I don't think there was a Civil Rights Act of 1969.
In a trial, the two main types of attorneys are defense attorneys who represent the accused and prosecutors who represent the government and present the case against the accused. Defense attorneys work to protect the rights of the defendant and provide a defense against the charges, while prosecutors work to prove the guilt of the accused.
No one has ended civil rights.
Civil rights
Civil rights did not end.