We Will Represent You
Do you believe your civil rights have been violated? Zeff Law Firm protects your personal freedoms. Our civil rights lawyers in Mount Laurel, New Jersey and Philadelphia have extensive knowledge of federal and state civil rights law and the experience and tenacity to fight for your rights and defend your freedom.
If you have been treated unfairly, contact our law office at 856-778-9700 to get advice from a knowledgeable civil rights attorney in Philadelphia and Mount Laurel, New Jersey..
Civil rights laws in the United States guarantee certain rights to promote equal treatment and protect against unlawful government actions harming individuals. These laws apply to a variety of settings such as employment, education, housing, police encounters, prisoners, municipal government overreach, licenses, zoning and more. In Pennsylvania, these laws mirror the federal civil rights laws. In New Jersey additional rights are protected. If you believe your civil rights have been violated at work, in education, or during interactions with law enforcement, you should seek the advice of a civil rights attorney.
The law protects individuals from being treated unfairly based on race, nationality, religion, or any other protected demographic. Our civil rights attorney in Philadelphia and Mount Laurel has extensive knowledge of 42 U.S.C. §1983 ( the Civil Rights Act of 1871), the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Equal Pay Act, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Pregnancy Discrimination Act, and other federal, state, and local civil rights laws.
"The police must obey the law while enforcing the law."
FAQs About Civil Rights
A state, federal, or local official is operating “under the color of law” when he or she performs an act within the scope of their lawful authority. For example, a police officer is acting under the color of law when he arrests an individual caught robbing a bank. However, a color of law violation occurs when the official’s acts exceed the bounds of their lawful authority. To use the same example, if that officer did not have adequate probable cause to warrant the arrest of a bank robbery suspect, that officer could be in violation of the law.
The effect of a color of law violation is typically a violation of a person’s civil rights due to a government agent’s willing or ignorant actions contrary to their legal authority. When a government agent deprives any person (regardless of race, creed, or religion) of their civil rights in application of their government appointed powers, they have committed a federal offense that, depending on the circumstances, can be severely punished.
If you believe your civil rights have been violated, contact the experienced civil rights lawyers at Zeff Law Firm at 856-778-9700 to discuss your legal options.
Police misconduct is considered a violation of civil rights for a few reasons. The US Constitution and its amendments were written to protect each and every citizen from oppression and tyranny, even from their own government. Title 18 of the US Code specifically states that it is illegal for police to “deprive or conspire to deprive” civilians of their civil rights, and all of the aforementioned actions violate those rights. For example, false arrest violates a number of civil rights protections, such as presumption of innocence or reasonable stop and seizure. Police brutality and violence especially violate civil rights, as it is generally used in response to citizens exercising rights protected by the constitution, such as the right to assemble and have a peaceful protest. The amendments and laws in the Constitution were created to allow law enforcement to operate in compliance with civil rights, and police misconduct disrupts that balance.
If you have been the victim of police misconduct, contact the civil rights lawyers at Zeff Law Firm at 856-778-9700 to discuss your legal options.
In many cases a hate crime will be considered a civil rights violation. Hate crimes include any violent action towards someone based on race, religion, background, disability, or sexual orientation. If the perpetrator of the crime was motivated due to a hatred of a particular race or ethnic group, and used violence in their application against the victim, it is likely both a hate crime and a civil rights violation. Although hate crimes and civil rights violations overlap, they are often prosecuted separately due to the need to establish motive based on the unique circumstances of the case. As of 2009, prosecutors now have more tools to pursue civil rights violation charges against those that committed hate crimes.
If you have been the victim of a hate crime, contact the civil rights lawyers at Zeff Law Firm at 856-778-9700 to discuss your case.
In many cases a hate crime will be considered a civil rights violation. Hate crimes include any violent action towards someone based on race, religion, background, disability, or sexual orientation. If the perpetrator of the crime was motivated due to a hatred of a particular race or ethnic group, and used violence in their application against the victim, it is likely both a hate crime and a civil rights violation. Although hate crimes and civil rights violations overlap, they are often prosecuted separately due to the need to establish motive based on the unique circumstances of the case. As of 2009, prosecutors now have more tools to pursue civil rights violation charges against those that committed hate crimes.
If you have been the victim of a hate crime, contact the civil rights lawyers at Zeff Law Firm at 856-778-9700 to discuss your case.
Contact us today for a consultation with a civil rights attorney in Philadelphia and Mount Laurel.
The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.
© 2024 All Rights Reserved. | Web Design by John Walsh