CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY SAN DIEGO

Police Officer Misconduct

In recent times, through the use of cellphones and videos, we as a society have been able to witness heinous offenses committed by law enforcement officers against law abiding citizens. Generally, the local police and sheriff departments do a great job protecting our cities. However, there can be a few officers that cross the line and commit wrongful acts. Officers abuse their power and authority and violate civil rights because they believe they can get away with it. Hepburn, Hernandez and Jung Trial Attorneys is a group of attorneys that have dedicated their careers fighting for what is right. HHJ does not back down when it comes to protecting the rights of their clients and ensuring that law enforcement officials are kept honest.

Civil rights violations can be brought in both state and federal court under a variety of circumstances. You will most often hear these cases called “Section 1983” cases, named after the United States Code Section 1983. The law allows people whose constitutional rights have been violated by government officials the chance to sue those officials in court. Here’s what the law says:

Every person who, under the color of any statute, ordinance, regulation, custom, or usage, of any State or Territory or the District of Columbia, subjects, or causes to be subjected, any citizen of the United States or other person within the jurisdiction thereof to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the Constitution and laws, shall be liable to the party injured in an action at law, suit in equity, or other proper proceedings for redress…[42 U.S.C. § 1983]

Deciding who to sue and who can be sued in a 1983 case can be very complicated. Generally speaking, you may be able to sue any of the following parties for a civil rights violation:

1. Police officers
2. Sheriff’s deputies
3. Prison guards
4. Police chiefs
5. Prison wardens
6. City that employs the offending officer
7. County that employs the offending officer

Here is a list of some civil rights violations that a person may pursue:

1. Police misconduct
2. Excessive force used by a police officer/police brutality
3. The use of deadly force by a police officer
4. False arrest
5. The wrongful use of police dogs
6. Resisting arrest/assaulting an officer
7. Jail neglect and abuse of an inmate

Civil rights violations have a very short statute of limitations and so it is incredibly important to contact a civil rights attorney immediately to ensure that your future interests are protected and you are not robbed of your right to file a lawsuit. Contact the civil rights attorneys at Hepburn, Hernandez and Jung today and let us fight on your behalf to protect your civil rights.