Overview
Civil rights are basic human rights established and guarded by the U.S. Constitution, and protecting these is an essential part of the democratic values of the United States and of civil rights attorneys. As defined by the constitution, these rights refer to statutory and court-mandated protections from discrimination and other forms of unequal treatment on the basis of national origin, race, gender, age, and other such characteristics.
Acts Addressing Civil Rights
Quite a few federal laws and amendments to the Constitution have been enacted to better protect our personal rights. Researching these acts can be helpful in determining if your civil rights have been affected.
- Age Discrimination Act of 1975
- Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA)
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- Civil Rights Act of 1964
- Fair Housing Act (FHA)
- Voting Rights Acts of 1965
What to Do if Civil Rights are Violated?
There are steps in place to guide you through the process of making sure your mistreatment does not continue or go unpunished and your situation is improved, including: If you feel safe doing so, inform those who have violated your rights that their treatment of you is unacceptable. If the offense took place at work or involves some other type of organization with a governing body, find out how to properly file a complaint internally and do so. If you are unsatisfied with the outcome of the internal complaint, filing a complaint with a state or federal agency would be your next step. If you exhaust all of the administrative agency’s options for settling your complaint, your final step would be to contact a qualified civil rights attorney and file a lawsuit.
Lawyers That Handle Civil Rights Cases
While first and foremost civil rights litigation is about defending your personal rights, it is also a way to help or get justice for other victims who have faced or will face similar mistreatment. If you think that your rights have been violated, contact a consumer rights lawyer that can answers your questions and get you the help that you need.