Category Archives: Civil Rights
Considering Suing A Police Department For Excessive Force? Three Things You Need To Know
Law enforcement officers are tasked with the duty of protecting and serving. When force is used against a civilian, there must be a good reason. The Law Enforcement Epidemiology Project estimates that 250,000 people nationwide are injured by police officers each year. A person injured by a police officer may have an excessive force… Read More »
Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Investigating Arrest That Went Viral—Allegations Of Police Brutality
According to a report from Yahoo News, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is actively investigating an arrest that went viral amidst allegations of police brutality. The family reports that 24-year-old Le’Keian Woods sustained serious injuries in the arrest. Here, our Florida civil rights attorney offers a more detailed overview of what we know about the… Read More »
Study: Three Percent Of Police Officers In Florida Previously Fired By Another Department
As a society, we empower and trust the police to protect and severe. Unfortunately, police officers and law enforcement agencies do not always uphold that trust. Police brutality remains a serious problem. Police officers who violate the rights of citizens must be held accountable. A recent study published in the Yale Law Journal finds… Read More »
Report: Florida’s Police Misconduct Database Fails To Show Many Complaints
A significant amount of public attention has been put on the issues of police brutality and police misconduct in recent years. People from communities all across the country are demanding more accountability and greater transparency. As part of the state response to the public outcry, Florida officials created a new law enforcement misconduct database…. Read More »
When Can You Sue A Police Department For Excessive Force?
Sadly, police brutality and excessive force by law enforcement officers remains a serious problem. A study cited by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) found that nearly 1 million of the 53 million people who had interactions with law enforcement over a one year period endure excessive force or threats of excessive force. Police… Read More »
U.S. Supreme Court Holds “Affirmative Indication Of Innocence” Not Required To Sue Police Officers For Civil Rights Violations
Far too many Florida residents have been arrested and charged with crimes that they did not commit. In some cases the innocent victims of such malicious prosecution can file a federal civil rights lawsuit and seek compensation. And thanks to a recent United States Supreme Court decision, such claims are now easier to pursue…. Read More »
Proving Race Discrimination With Circumstantial Evidence
Proving illegal employment discrimination can be tricky. In many cases there is no “direct” evidence of discrimination–i.e., your boss said you are fired because you are Black. That is why Florida courts permit plaintiffs in these cases to prove discrimination entirely through circumstantial evidence. The most common way to do this is by satisfying… Read More »
Supreme Court Says Two Muslims May Sue Homeland Security Agents for Illegally Placing Them on “No Fly” List
Since the September 11 attacks nearly 20 years ago, Muslims living and working in the United States have faced an increasing barrage of attacks on their basic civil rights. Recently, the United States Supreme Court unanimously took an important stand on behalf of Muslims when it held that two men could sue the Department… Read More »
Florida Governor Announces Legislation That Criminalizes Protesting
In late September, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced new legislation here in Florida that would create new criminal offenses and penalties for those who “participate in disorderly assemblies,” or rather, punish those who protest. Titled the “Combating Violence, Disorder and Looting and Law Enforcement Protection Act,” some text of the bill is highly questionable… Read More »
Federal Agents Deployed to Cities to Arrest Non-Violent Protesters Under Questionable Circumstances
The federal government recently deployed federal agents with the Department of Homeland Security to Portland, Oregon, a number of which then arrested protesters without warrants and identification badges, and placed them into unmarked SUVs. They also indiscriminately used acoustic weapons, rubber bullets, and tear gas against non-violent protesters, legal observers, and journalists, which has… Read More »
