Civil Rights Violations Lawyers in Harford, MD

Do you know or suspect your civil rights have been violated in Harford or somewhere else in Maryland? If so, contact Greenberg Law Offices for an initial case evaluation with a knowledgeable Harford civil rights attorney. We will sit down with you, advise you on the relevant laws, and explain how we can help you seek financial compensation and justice from those responsible for violating your rights.

Why You Should Hire a Harford Civil Rights Attorney

Experiencing a civil rights violation can feel devastating, embarrassing, and stressful. However, you may have legal rights to seek accountability and justice from those responsible for violating your rights. A Harford civil rights lawyer from Greenberg Law Offices can help you by thoroughly investigating your case, identifying liable parties, documenting your injuries and losses, and pursuing every available avenue to get you the justice and relief you deserve.

Choose us to advocate for your rights and interests because:

  • We have a six-decade-plus history of representing the rights and interests of Maryland residents in civil rights claims.
  • Our seasoned litigators will vigorously pursue justice through a settlement if possible, but we won’t hesitate to go to trial when necessary to demand a fair and favorable result in your case.
  • Our firm likes to treat everyone who walks through our doors like family. We prefer to meet with our clients and their loved ones, as civil rights violations affect victims and those around them.

What Do ‘Civil Rights’ Include?

Civil rights refer to legal protections afforded to individuals by state and federal constitutions and statutes. Civil rights frequently arise in the context of law enforcement/the criminal justice system, employment, and places of public accommodation. Examples of constitutional rights that protect individuals when dealing with law enforcement or the government include:

  • First Amendment rights, including the right to free speech, assembly, press, and petitioning the government for redress of grievances
  • Privileges against unreasonable searches or seizures
  • The right to remain silent in police custody
  • The right to legal counsel in the criminal justice system
  • The right to due process and equal protection of the law
  • Protection against cruel and unusual punishment

What Are Instances of Civil Rights Violation Cases?

Civil rights violations can occur due to the actions or conduct of law enforcement agencies, governmental entities, employers, educational institutions, or operators of places of public accommodation. Common types of civil rights violations include the following:

  • Discrimination – Discrimination occurs when a party (such as the government, an employer, an educational institution, or a place of public accommodation) engages in adverse actions or harasses a person based on a protected characteristic. Various state and federal laws prohibit discrimination based on characteristics such as race, color, national origin, religious belief, sex/gender, sexual orientation, age (over 40), and disability.
  • Police and Government Misconduct – Police or government misconduct can deprive civilians and arrestees of critical civil rights. Examples of police/government misconduct include falsifying evidence, engaging in racial profiling, using excessive force, and creating or maintaining police department cultures that encourage or tolerate officer misconduct.
  • Police Brutality – Police brutality involves officer misconduct that crosses the line from deprivations of civilians’ rights into intentional, wanton, and malicious conduct by police officers, including assault/battering civilians or detainees, using force to retaliate against individuals who exercise their rights, or abusing positions of authority to engage in sexual abuse.
  • Sexual or Physical Assault – Sexual and physical assault can occur in the context of law enforcement, employment, or educational settings. Police sexual assault may involve officers using their positions to assault detainees or engaging in quid pro quo harassment (agreeing to release or cover for a suspect in exchange for sexual favors). Sexual assault in school or the workplace may include incidents of rape/sexual battery or sex-based harassment.
  • Wrongful Imprisonment – Prosecutors may violate a criminal defendant’s rights by obtaining their wrongful imprisonment through reckless, knowing, or intentional misconduct during a criminal trial, such as presenting false evidence, concealing or destroying evidence helpful to the defendant, or denying the defendant a fair trial.
  • False Arrest or Imprisonment – A false arrest occurs when the police detain or arrest an individual, knowing they do not have sufficient facts to support reasonable suspicion or probable cause for the detention/arrest. Police may falsely arrest people due to biases or prejudices or because officers merely have a “hunch” that a suspect committed a crime.
  • Unlawful Search and Seizure – The police can violate a suspect’s civil rights through a search and seizure that violates the Fourth Amendment, which requires police to obtain a warrant or develop probable cause for a search. Although unlawful searches may entitle suspects to exclude evidence from their criminal cases, they can also pursue civil action when the search injures them, damages/destroys their property, or results in false arrest or wrongful imprisonment.
  • Wrongful Conviction – Police and prosecutors may engage in misconduct to secure a defendant’s wrongful conviction, including by presenting false or altered evidence/testimony, withholding or destroying exculpatory evidence proving the defendant’s innocence, or attempting to secure a jury with an unfavorable racial or gender imbalance.

What Compensation Could You Pursue in a Civil Rights Violation Lawsuit?

In a civil rights lawsuit, you may pursue financial recovery for various expenses or personal losses you incur because of the violation of your rights. The context of the civil rights violation may also determine what kinds of financial recovery you can obtain. For example, civil rights lawsuits against the police or government may enable you to seek financial compensation for the following:

  • Medical treatment and rehabilitation of physical or emotional injuries
  • Costs of long-term care for prolonged/permanent disabilities caused by physical injuries
  • Lost wages/income from missed work due to false arrest or malicious prosecution
  • Lost earning potential after losing employment due to police misconduct
  • Physical anguish or emotional distress
  • Lost quality of life

Is There a Time Limit for Filing a Civil Rights Violation Lawsuit?

Various time limits apply to civil rights lawsuits depending on the context of the violation. Civil rights claims against the police or the government typically arise under the federal statute 42 U.S.C. §1983, which provides people with a cause of action for experiencing a deprivation of their civil rights by a person acting under the color of law.

Time limits for §1983 lawsuits typically borrow the limitations period for the equivalent cause of action under state law (in most cases, personal injury claims). In Maryland, most federal civil rights lawsuits against the police or government have a three-year time limit for filing. However, claims arising from assault or battery may have a one-year deadline.

Contact a Harford Civil Rights Violation Attorney Today

If you’ve suffered a violation of your civil rights in Maryland by the police or the government, you may have a legal claim to pursue accountability and relief. Contact Greenberg Law Offices today for a free, confidential consultation with a Harford civil rights lawyer to discuss your legal options for seeking compensation and justice.