Civil Rights Violations

Fort Lauderdale Civil Rights Attorneys

It is the American ideal that everyone has certain unalienable rights. You're constitutionally protected against authoritarian abuse of power and discrimination based on gender, race, religion, nationality, or disability. The attorneys at Levine & Glassman, P.A. are committed to the protection of the civil liberties of clients who have had their rights violated throughout Southeast Florida, including Fort Lauderdale in Broward County, Miami in Miami-Dade County, and West Palm Beach in Palm Beach County. If you feel your basic human rights have been violated, contact us via phone at (954) 332-6100 or use our online contact form to schedule a free consultation with an experienced attorney.

How can my civil rights be violated?

Most often, a civil rights violation occurs when you are discriminated against in some manner or when one of your basic human rights is limited. Being denied the rights of assembly, free speech, religious freedom, or any of the other constitutional rights is considered a violation of your civil rights. Some of the most common civil rights lawsuits we at Levine & Glassman represent are:

• Police Brutality / Excessive Force
• Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Claims
• Discrimination Lawsuits
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Claims

Many civil rights cases deal with employment, housing, and educational discrimination, since those are areas where people may be wary of applicants in the first place. Even minor prejudices in those areas can lead to significant discrimination against the applicant.

Law enforcement situations are also often prone to civil rights; law officers are regularly forced to make split decisions, and some officers make poor judgments. Racial profiling is a very controversial tool that many officers use in their apprehension of potential suspects. Regardless of the arguments for or against the use of profiling, it is a violation of both the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution and thus illegal. Contact an attorney if you've been discriminated against by an employer, a homeowners' association, a law enforcement agency, or some other institution.

What should I do if someone discriminated against me?

If you've been discriminated against, there are a few things you should keep in mind when dealing with the situation and a few steps you should take in order to make sure everything proceeds fairly:

• Don't make the situation worse: Retaliating, either physically or verbally, when one of your civil rights has been violated is one way to turn people against you. It may seem difficult to swallow your pride and accept what is happening, but acting out will only hinder your case. Let your lawsuit do the talking for you.
• Contact an attorney: Experienced legal representation is the key to winning a civil rights violation lawsuit. Having the knowledge of the law at your back will help ensure that the details of your case are thoroughly investigated so you can get the maximum amount of compensation.
• File a Federal or State Claim: Certain types of discrimination cases will require you to file a claim with a government agency before actually filing a lawsuit. Particularly in employment discrimination cases, the alleged offense must be reported to the EEOC within 180 days of the date of the offense in order to pursue any action against the offending party. Time is of the essence. Don't wait to take action, or you may lose your opportunity.

How do I prove that my rights were violated?

Often, these cases deal with very grey areas of the law and are based on the alleged offending party's intent. Since intent is a difficult thing to directly prove, the following checklist of sort is used to determine real discrimination:

• You belong to a group (race, religion, etc.) that is protected under the law
• Negative action was taken against you, causing some sort of harm
• The reason for that action primarily dealt with the offending party's prejudice against your group

That last point is where much of the difficulty lies in proving a civil rights violation. Often, however, it can be assumed that the action was a violation if said action was unprecedented. For example, if you apply for a rental property and are refused, but the property remains unoccupied, it could be a civil rights violation. Similarly, if a police officer uses excessive force in a situation that requires little to no physical action and presents no danger to the officer, that could determine intent of discrimination.

Levine & Glassman, P.A. - Florida Civil Liberty Lawyers

We at Levine & Glassman proudly serve to protect our clients from the injustices of discrimination and persecution throughout Florida and the United States. If your basic human rights have been violated, contact the attorneys at Levine & Glassman, P.A. at (954) 332-6100 to set up a free consultation to discuss your case.

Civil Rights Information Center

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission - Home for the organization that governs employment discrimination claims

Americans with Disabilities Act - Information and technical assistance with the Americans with Disabilities Act