Civil Rights Violations
The Constitution of the United States offers protection and liberties to all Americans for certain rights and privileges that are called our civil rights. While most of us have heard the term—and probably have a vague notion about what our civil rights actually are, many Americans don’t know exactly what rights are covered when referring to our civil rights or when our civil rights have been violated.
So let’s start at the beginning. What exactly is a civil right?
Civil rights are a class of rights that protect an individual's freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure our ability to participate in society without discrimination or repression. In the U.S., our civil rights offer us protection from discrimination on grounds such as: race, gender, national origin, color, age, political affiliation, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, or disability. They also include individual rights, such as: privacy, the freedoms of thought and conscience, speech and expression, religion, the press, assembly and movement. Guard against overly intrusive conduct by the government is also considered a civil right.
Where are the laws that protect our civil rights found? Many come directly from the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, called the Bill of Rights. Others have been enacted more recently, such as: The Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Civil Rights Act of 1991.
What are some common examples of civil rights violations?
One type of violation that we hear about in the news quite often is that of improper conduct by law enforcement officials. Some examples of this type of offense are: excessive force, brutality, illegal search and/or seizure and false arrest. Another type of civil rights violation is a prison abuse case. Since our constitution prohibits cruel and unusual punishment, prisoners are protected. When overcrowding of our jails results in horrendous—sometimes even dangerous --living conditions for inmates, they may have a civil rights case where they could argue their civil rights have been violated.
As Americans, we are lucky to have this wide range of protections under the law. If you feel your civil rights have been violated, it’s worth speaking to an attorney to find out what your rights are. Contact Stuart N. Kaplan, P.A. for a free consultation. By standing up for these rights, you make it easier for others who are suffering, as well.
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About Stuart N. Kaplan, P.A.
Stuart N. Kaplan, P.A. represents those charged with a crime. Headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, they have helped many defend their criminal cases. For more information on Stuart N. Kaplan, P.A. visit http://www.ksplaw.com
March 9th, 2016
Deputy Joshua McGehee's mother, Annette Marvin, is Sheriff Ric Bradshaw's executive assistant. Attorney Stuart Kaplan also claimed PBSO cleared McGehee of wrongdoing because of his personal con-
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