Life can often be unfair, difficult, or confusing. But you aren’t alone when you find yourself struggling in overwhelming circumstances or victimized by injustice and the prejudice of others. There are legal protections for people who have their civil rights violated. With the help of a civil rights lawyer in Birmingham, Alabama, you can defend yourself against injustice.
One way to judge if you need a lawyer is if your employment, education, housing, or access to public facilities are restricted or violated based upon certain characteristics.
Characteristics may include (but aren’t limited to) your race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, or if you have a disability. If you’ve suffered at the hands of law enforcement, that is also a civil rights violation.
Here are five common cases where you may need a civil rights lawyer.
A law officer violates your civil rights when they search or seize property without a warrant or probable cause. Under the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, citizens have protection against overreach by law enforcement officials, including unlawful search and seizure.
Law enforcement must have a signed warrant or reasonable suspicion of a crime being committed to search your home or car or take any property.
Some employers believe they can prevent their employees from wearing the traditional attire of their religion while at work because of an HR standard or uniform. When you have a sincere religious belief that requires you to wear specific items such as yarmulkes, Sikh turbans, or headscarves, your civil rights protect those items.
During an interview, if an employer says your employment is conditional on removing such items while in the workplace, you also have a civil rights case.
Your civil rights also protect you against abuse by elected officials. When you encounter discriminatory behavior from government institutions for protected characteristics such as your sexual orientation, then you have a potential civil rights case.
Civil rights cases aren’t just about getting justice for individuals. They’re also a way for society to hold those who violate civil rights accountable, to prevent them from wielding their power in the community against certain groups of people.
Your civil rights protect you against cruel and unusual punishment, particularly if you were the victim of a wrongful charge or conviction for a crime you didn’t commit. A civil rights lawyer can review your case and help defend you against the conviction to get free from prison and receive compensation for your time spent imprisoned.
In circumstances of forced confessions, fabricated evidence, and perjured testimony, a civil rights attorney in Birmingham, Alabama, can help you get justice.
Many people work hard at their jobs but see other, less qualified coworkers with less seniority promoted over them. The reason may have nothing to do with your work performance but because of specific characteristics.
It may be a civil rights violation if you’re being held back from promotions at work. An experienced civil rights lawyer in Birmingham, Alabama, can walk you through your case. They’ll discuss the legal repercussions, offer experienced insight, and help you prepare to file a lawsuit to defend your rights.
At Maxwell Tillman, we offer free consultations and don’t collect a fee unless we win.
At Maxwell Tillman, we understand the deep roots of prejudice and injustice. We’re passionate about protecting and giving a voice to those who cannot defend themselves. Ask about our proven track record of obtaining remediation for our clients from injunctions to punitive damages and compensation.
We never collect a fee unless we win. Contact us for a free consultation if you have a case needing a civil rights lawyer in Birmingham, Alabama.
