Civil Rights: The Bedrock Of Our Democracy
Civil Rights
Listen up: you have rights, and when those rights get violated, you’re not just fighting a case in court; you’re battling the whole legal system. Everyone deserves to be treated the same under the law, but this doesn’t always happen. Every day, across Roseland, Englewood, and Cottage Grove, your rights are being violated by CPD and other powers that be, and it’s time to take a stand. Chicago civil rights lawyer Cierra N. Norris is not here to play and is ready to fight.
The U.S. Constitution as well as federal and state laws protect our civil rights, no matter who we are or where we come from. These civil rights recognize our freedom from discrimination and create the foundation necessary for our democracy. When the government or someone in power violates your civil rights, they threaten your freedom, and we must hold them responsible.
In cases like these, you must act carefully but quickly. Choose a firm that you can trust to defend your rights. At C. Norris Law Group, our attorneys are dedicated to standing by our clients and standing up to those in power. We have extensive experience with civil rights cases and will walk with you through every step on your journey to justice. Although civil rights violations can happen in many ways, such as employment and housing discrimination, the most common cases we handle involve police brutality.
What Counts as a Civil Rights Violation in Chicago?
Ight, so boom! Here’s the cold, honest truth: civil rights violations are a sickness running through the South Side of Chicago. These situations happen every day on the streets, and when they do, you will need a civil rights attorney who is not afraid to go to bat for you. Civil rights cases occur when an individual brings allegations against the government, a public entity such as the CPD, or another entity, like their employer, claiming that their civil rights have been violated.
In 2023, 18.4% of all civil rights cases were based on incidents related to the victim’s skin color, race, or nationality. There are several kinds of civil rights violations that can happen in Chicago, including the following:
- Being the victim of a hate crime.
- Being discriminated against due to your beliefs, your superficial qualities, or your membership in a protected class, such as being disabled, of a certain age, or due to your race.
- Being discriminated against based on your race or skin color when looking for housing.
- Suffering a wrongful termination of your employment based solely on your membership of a protected class, such as being disabled, pregnant, or of a certain race or skin color.
- Suffering unlawful restraint, false imprisonment, or false arrest, based on a protected class.
When any of these situations occur to you, your civil rights have likely been violated, and the violating party, such as the CPD or a government agency, can be held liable for any damages you suffer. At C. Norris Law Group, we care about you and are ready to do whatever it takes to protect your civil rights and ensure they are upheld.
Civil Rights Laws That Offer Protection
In Illinois, several laws and amendments exist to protect your civil rights at both the state and federal levels. These protections mainly come from the U.S. Constitution and can include:
- The Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments. This provides protections against illegal searches and seizures by the police and entitles all citizens, regardless of age, race, skin color, etc., to due process under the law.
- The First Amendment. This amendment ensures that all citizens have the right to freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the right to petition the government and to peaceably assemble.
- The Eighth Amendment. This amendment prohibits all forms of cruel and unusual punishment. This amendment may arise in cases involving unfair prison conditions.
- The Civil Rights Act of 1964. Under this federal act, all state and federal governments, as well as employers, are prohibited from engaging in acts of discrimination based on sex, race, color, religion, or national origin.
- The Illinois Human Rights Act. This state-level act prohibits discrimination in finances, public housing, employment, and real estate on the basis of any federally protected class, including race, skin color, sex, nationality, religion, disability, age, or military status. It also prohibits all forms of sexual harassment in education or discrimination based on arrest records.
If you believe any of the rights you hold under any of these acts or amendments have been violated in Chicago, you’d better call Cierra today and hire a civil rights lawyer.
Compensation for Victims of Civil Rights Violations
However your civil rights violation comes about, from unfair prison conditions to workplace violations, Cierra N. Norris is here to fight for you. Depending on the nature of your case, she is here to help you recover compensation for the damages you have suffered in lieu of this violation. The most common forms of compensation in a civil rights violation case include:
- Personal injury. If you suffered physical harm and injuries during the course of your civil rights violation, you may be entitled to recover damages for all related medical costs, including necessary hospital stays, surgeries, emergency room visits, physical therapy, medications, and more.
- Lost wages. If you were let go from your place of work based on discrimination, such as in cases of being fired due to your race, skin color, nation of origin, religion, or age, you may be able to pursue compensation for lost wages. You may also be able to seek damages if you were denied initial employment based on certain protected characteristics, as this can also be considered a violation of your civil rights.
- Pain and suffering. If you suffered stress, anxiety, depression, mental anguish, or now have Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder because your civil rights were violated, you may be able to seek compensation for these emotional damages.
- Punitive damages. If the individual or entity, such as the CPD, who violated your civil rights acted in a way that is deemed to have been particularly egregious, malicious, or reckless, you may be able to seek punitive damages. While these damages are not often awarded in civil rights cases, when they are involved, they can add a significant dollar amount to your overall claim.
For those who have faced a violation of their civil rights, seeking justice may feel too daunting to pursue or too overwhelming, especially when you must confront the Chicago Police Department or another law enforcement entity, such as the Cook County jail system. Even so, Cierra N. Norris is ready to take on the most difficult of cases. She’s scared of going up against anyone and believes your rights are fully protected under the law.
Even the FBI admits that a large percentage of all civil rights violations are based on racial or skin color discrimination, and C. Norris Law Group is here to make those who violate your rights pay. Cierra N. Norris is ready to investigate your case, collect evidence, manage all communications with the involved parties, calculate the worth of your claim, and ultimately fight for some righteous justice!
Hire a Civil Rights Lawyer Today: Call Cierra
If you believe your civil rights have been violated, you can seek justice. Send us an email or call C. Norris Law Group, at 312-625-6129. Work with an attorney who has the experience and passion to take hold of your case. We will help you build a power-packed strategy to achieve justice.
