Civil Rights Lawyer in Tallahassee, FL

The Benefits of Hiring a Civil Rights Lawyer

If you have been subjected to a violation of your civil rights, a Tallahassee civil rights lawyer from Cruz Law can help you advocate for your rights and protect your interests. Civil rights claims can be very complicated. Numerous state and federal laws establish civil rights and prohibit certain acts. Cruz Law can help you by listening to what you have gone through in a confidential initial consultation and helping to determine how things may be made right for you. We can ensure you understand the steps required to pursue a discrimination complaint.

In many cases, civil rights laws protect people from abuse by the government. A complaint of a violation must generally be directed against the government or, more likely, a government agency or office. For example, freedom of speech only applies to government censorship. Your employer, a house of worship, a private club, or an individual can restrict what is said on their premises or in their name.

Civil rights laws typically apply to individuals or private entities when they treat people differently and deny them opportunities or benefits available to others. For example, a company hiring people cannot refuse to hire qualified applicants solely because of a protected characteristic (i.e., national origin, race, color, religion, etc.). The same principle applies to a landlord renting apartments, a business offering goods or services to the public, and others.

In most civil rights cases, you must file a complaint that will be considered by a state agency before a lawsuit can go forward. Consider another type of governmental abuse — police brutality (excessive force), harassment, false arrest, or imprisonment. Though such incidents may lead to criminal charges, a victim would first have to go through an investigatory process established and run by the local police department if they wanted to seek damages (compensation) for the harm they have suffered.

Even what would seem to be private matters, such as housing or employment discrimination, have governmental oversight agencies that a complaint must go through before other legal action can be pursued. At the federal level, the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Justice Department investigates and enforces federal discrimination laws and must handle a complaint before a federal lawsuit.

As your civil rights attorneys, Cruz Law Firm can:

• Ensure you file a complaint as required by any local, state, or federal agency with jurisdiction over your case. This includes meeting what are often strict deadlines set by statutes of limitations.
• Gather evidence to substantiate your claim, including your statement, witness statements, documents, audio/video recordings, and correspondence (letters, email, texts).
• Assess what legal remedies are available in your case. Some claims are worth substantial amounts of money, particularly if you have been physically or psychologically harmed. Other cases are focused on injunctive relief — requiring the offending party to end practices that violate the law and/or to provide the services or accommodations you originally sought.
• Negotiate to resolve your case. A quicker resolution to your claim may be in your best interest. We are aggressive negotiators ready to secure favorable terms and/or compensation for you as quickly and efficiently as possible.
• Present a solid case on your behalf in state or federal agency hearings.
• File a federal civil rights lawsuit on your behalf and present a persuasive case to the judge and jury. A federal lawsuit would be the proper course of action if the state’s investigation and remedy were insufficient. In many cases, governmental agencies will decline to provide adequate relief for valid civil rights claims, leaving a federal lawsuit as the only path toward justice.

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When to Consider Getting in Touch With a Civil Rights Lawyer

If you have experienced any of the following situations, your civil rights may have been violated, and you should consider hiring a civil rights lawyer:

• You were denied a job because of your race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
• People of another race, color, religion, sex, or national origin are treated more favorably at your workplace than people in other groups.
• You were subjected to a hostile work environment because of your race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
• You were passed over for a promotion because of your sexual orientation or gender identity.
• You were transferred because of your sexual orientation or gender identity.
• You were wrongfully terminated because of a protected characteristic.
• You were denied housing because of your race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
• You were subjected to sex discrimination at school or college.
• You were denied access to public accommodations because of a protected characteristic.
• You were falsely imprisoned, arrested, or prosecuted.
• Police used excessive force on you.
• Police conducted an illegal search and seizure on you.
• Your Constitutional rights were denied.

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