New York Civil Rights Lawyer

Your civil rights are inalienable for a reason. All parties, including government representatives and law enforcement, must respect those rights afforded to you under the Constitution. Our New York civil rights lawyers are here to help you take action in the face of these parties’ flagrant disregard for your well-being.

J.R. Wyatt Law has consistently supported clients struggling to overcome discrimination and civil rights violations. Our service to retired NFL players has seen us consistently challenge the racial biases that might otherwise prevent our clients from recovering. We’ve won settlements that reached the $1 billion mark.

If you’re ready to work with a team that doesn’t balk in the face of high-stakes litigation, get in touch. Our New York personal injury attorneys are prepared to fight for you.

Common Civil Rights Cases

There are several different ways acting authorities can violate your civil rights. Some of these may be blatantly racist, sexist, or ageist. Others may be subtler. Unfortunately, the NYPD is one of the prime parties to take the blame for civil rights violations in greater New York state, with over 180,000 complaints of police misconduct filed since 2000.

You don’t have to let officers’ positions of authority intimidate you out of legal action. Our civil rights attorneys in New York have decades of experience tackling a wide range of civil rights cases. These include the following:

Police Brutality

There’s an unfortunate trend among police officers where, given the opportunity to act against at-risk parties, officers overextend themselves. Officers may wrongfully initiate investigations, conduct arrests, or otherwise intimidate innocent people. Some officers may even attack individuals or groups with seemingly little prompting.

An officer’s excessive use of force or otherwise biased behavior can see that officer – or sometimes, entire precincts – violate the rights of the people they’re meant to protect. If you suspect you’ve been a victim of unreasonable or excessive force, you may bring a civil case against the officer who harmed you.

These cases have precedent in New York. As of 2022, the state paid police brutality victims over $121 million. We’re here to make sure you have the chance to benefit from similar support.

Malicious Arrests and Convictions

Police officers must have a reason to arrest or convict an individual of an alleged crime. Unfortunately, officers with biases against certain protected parties or protestors may misuse their authority to wrongfully arrest parties they disagree with. Some of the most common forms of malicious misconduct can include the following:

  • Refusal to outline an arrestee’s Miranda Rights
  • Misrepresentation of facts at the time of an arrest
  • Planting evidence
  • Refusing to share case evidence with a defense attorney
  • Refusing to conduct appropriate tests before, during, or after a person’s arrest
  • Refusal to engage with other suspects

Malicious arrests and convictions see officers deliberately restrict the freedoms afforded to those arrestees, thereby violating those parties’ rights. Likewise, some acting prosecutors may allow bias to cloud their judgment when convicting parties with whom they disagree.

Should you find yourself on the receiving end of this kind of bias, you can work with a New York civil rights lawyer to vacate your conviction. You can further demand damages from the parties responsible for your mistreatment.

Improper Imprisonment

Even if you are arrested, you still retain certain rights. These rights include protection from undue harm while in prison, a detention center, or jail. Unfortunately, many officers are quick to treat imprisoned parties with blatant disregard or even deliberate negligence. That negligence can result in:

  • Unlawful assault or harassment
  • Verbal abuse
  • Emotional abuse
  • Sexual abuse
  • Failure to meet a prisoner’s basic needs
  • Medical mistreatment or deliberate misconduct

It can be difficult to record the details of this mistreatment when you’re actively being denied access to the most basic care afforded to you. However, once you’re in touch with an attorney, you can count on that representative to thoroughly investigate your circumstances.

We can simultaneously build a case against a negligent party and advocate for your right to improved treatment. You can learn more during an initial case assessment with our staff.

Establishing the Violation of Your Civil Rights

Most civil cases allow you to build a claim on evidence of another party’s negligence. Unfortunately, civil cases aren’t so simple to establish. There are laws designed to limit certain parties’ liability, even in cases where mistreatment seems obvious. One such standard includes “qualified immunity.”

As a concept, “qualified immunity” protects government officials and law enforcement representatives from the consequences of their actions. The only time victims may take action against these parties is when injured victims can prove the “clearly established” violation of a constitutional right.

This is difficult to do on your own, especially if you’re dealing with severe injuries. Fortunately, you have lawyers on your side. J.R. Wyatt Law can call on investigators to help prove that protected individuals threw your constitutional rights into question. We rely on records requests, policy assessments, and professional conduct analyses to move your case forward.

When to File a Civil Rights Case in New York

Normally, personal injury cases establish a claim submission deadline in a state-approved statute of limitations. Anyone filing a claim needs to submit their paperwork by that deadline if they want to move their case forward. 

This isn’t the case for most civil rights cases. Wilson v. Garcia dictates that civil rights cases do not benefit from a standardized statute of limitations. Courts must first refer to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 to dictate the nature of a case. The court may then apply a unique statute of limitations to the case in question based on the “most analogous” ruling found under New York law.

What does all of this mean? If you want to know when you have to file your civil rights case, we encourage you to connect with a civil rights lawyer sooner rather than later. Our New York civil rights attorneys can assess your case under New York’s statutes and work within the court system to determine when you need to bring your claim forward.

Contact a Civil Rights Lawyer in New York Today

You deserve to work with an attorney who won’t flinch in the face of political pressure. J.R. Wyatt Law has a history of defending clients from discrimination, even in high-profile NFL litigation cases. We’re prepared to continue that fight on your behalf.

If you feel police officers, government officials, or other parties have compromised your civil rights, contact our team. Your case consultation with our staff is free of charge and obligation.