Mistreated by police or government · civil rights

The people meant to protect you are the ones who caused the harm

The stop was over a broken taillight, and it ended with you on the pavement and a shoulder that still doesn't work. Or you spent a weekend in a cell on a charge that was dropped on Monday. Or your son asked for his medication in jail for days and nobody came. When the harm comes from police or another part of government, it can feel as though there is nowhere to take it.

There is. The Constitution and federal and state civil rights laws limit what police, jail staff and other government employees can do to you, and they let people who were harmed bring claims. Those claims have their own hurdles and some very short deadlines. Tell us what happened.

Tell us what happened

This may be for you if

Police used force on me that was far beyond what the situation called for.
I was arrested or searched without a good reason, and the charges went nowhere.
Someone I love was hurt, denied medical care or died in a jail, prison or police custody.
I was punished by a government employer or agency for something I said or reported.
I was convicted of a crime I didn't commit, and the conviction has since been thrown out.

What we do, and what we do not

We do

A lawyer at our firm looks at your case: which rights may have been violated, by whom, and what deadlines may already be running.
These cases are usually brought in the courts where it happened. When another firm that brings civil rights cases there is better placed to lead yours day to day, we choose that firm for you, from firms we have vetted for their expertise and track record, and we stay responsible for your case with them.

We do not

We don't handle criminal charges you're facing now.
We don't promise that a case will be brought, or what it might be worth.

Two firms on your side, for the cost of one

When another firm leads your case, you have two law firms on your side, and it costs you no more than one firm would. The firm leading it day to day is one that brings civil rights cases in the courts where it happened, and it's your first call for questions about the case. Our firm stays responsible for your case with them for as long as it lasts: we check in often, keep our own calendar of its deadlines, and we're who you write to if something doesn't feel right.

You decide whether to go ahead, and nothing happens until you say yes.

How it works, step by step How fees work, and how they are shared

Problems we often hear about

Excessive force, false arrest and abuse in custody
Hurt by police, arrested or searched without cause, or mistreated in jail or custody.
Convicted of something you didn't do
Compensation and civil rights claims after a conviction is overturned or the person is exonerated.

What helps to have ready

The date, time and place it happened, as best you know them.
Any arrest, booking, incident or case numbers.
Names or badge numbers of the officers or staff involved, if you know them.
Photos or video, including phone video from you or bystanders, and the names of witnesses.
Medical records from any treatment afterward.
The outcome of any criminal charges connected to what happened.
Any complaint you filed with the department or agency, and any reply.

What to have ready before you talk to a lawyer
A short, practical list you can use for any kind of problem.

Questions people ask

I still have criminal charges pending from the same incident. Should I wait?

Talk to your criminal defense lawyer before you say or file anything about it, because what you say in a civil claim can affect the criminal case. But notice deadlines for a civil claim can run while the criminal case is still going, so don't simply wait. Tell us that charges are pending when you write.

Can I sue the officer personally?

Sometimes. Federal law lets people sue those who violated their constitutional rights while acting with state or local government authority. Courts also apply qualified immunity, a court-made rule that can shield an individual officer from paying damages unless earlier cases had clearly established that what they did was unlawful. Claims against a city or department follow different rules.

I filed a complaint with internal affairs. Isn't that enough?

An internal complaint can lead to discipline, but it isn't a claim for compensation, and it usually doesn't stop any legal deadline from running.

Accidents and injuries
If you were hurt by a government vehicle or on public property, which can be an injury claim with its own notice rules.
Treated unfairly at work
If you work for a government employer and were punished for speaking out or treated unfairly.
When an institution failed to protect you
If the harm was abuse inside a jail, prison, juvenile facility or other institution.

This page explains things in general terms. It is not legal advice about your situation, and the law differs from state to state.