Legal News Articles - Civil/Human Rights

Pennsylvania Hotel to Pay for Discrimination

September 26, 2011. By Brenda Craig.

Stamford, CT: It took six years, but a predominantly black church from an economically challenged part of Connecticut that was denied hotel accommodations for its members managed to exact justice. The Macedonia Church and its members were recently awarded $675,000 for a breach of a post-civil war statute that guarantees the rights of all persons to make contracts regardless of race.

Read [ Pennsylvania Hotel to Pay for Discrimination ]

Public Defense System under Fire in Washington State

July 19, 2011. By Brenda Craig.

Seattle, WA: Out of a duty to the public good, two attorneys from Seattle have taken on a class-action suit aimed at ensuring that low-income and indigent persons charged with misdemeanors in Mount Vernon and Burlington are afforded all the rights afforded to US citizens. "We got interested in the idea just as conscientious attorneys," says Toby Marshall, from the firm of Terrell, Marshall, Daudt & Willie. "We started investigating about six months ago, doing public disclosure requests, getting documents and interviewing people."

Read [ Public Defense System under Fire in Washington State ]

Questionable Deaths Reported in Florida's Assisted Living Facilities

May 11, 2011. By Lucy Campbell.

Miami, FL: A report by NPR and the Miami Herald has revealed that state regulators in Florida are not adequately protecting residents of assisted living facilities. According to their report, dozens of deaths in Florida state records appear questionable.

Read [ Questionable Deaths Reported in Florida's Assisted Living Facilities ]

Social Security Hit with Class Action

April 5, 2011. By Brenda Craig.

Norwell, MA: Dealing with government can be frustrating. Just ask any of the approximately 3 million Americans who deal with the Social Security Administration (SSA) every year, or attorney Victor Arruda who handles thousands of social security claims for Americans across the US.

Read [ Social Security Hit with Class Action ]

Lebanon School District Sued for Excessive Truancy Fines

February 10, 2011. By Brenda Craig.

Philadelphia, PA: The fine for truancy in the school district of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, is, by law, a maximum of $300. But according to the due-process class-action complaint filed by public interest and civil rights attorney Michael Churchill, the district has been unfairly and unequally applying fines well in excess of that for the last six years.

Read [ Lebanon School District Sued for Excessive Truancy Fines ]

There Is Justice for All

February 6, 2011. By Brenda Craig.

Mineola, NY: Never doubt the strength and durability of the American justice system says attorney Mark Bernstein—there is justice for all. "If you ever doubted it," says Bernstein, "this is the case that should prove to you we are still living in the right country at the right time."

Read [ There Is Justice for All ]

Arizona's Photo Radar Lawyer

February 5, 2011. By Brenda Craig.

Scottsdale, AZ: Traffic court judges may not be big fans of attorney Michael Kielsky, but his clients love him. Since Kielsky began fighting photo radar tickets in 2009, he has successfully squashed tickets for about 85 percent of his photo radar clients.

Read [ Arizona's Photo Radar Lawyer ]

Sexual Violence Against Female Residents of Chicago Nursing Homes

January 28, 2011. By Lucy Campbell.

Chicago, IL: Authorities in Chicago are reporting the investigation of 86 cases of sexual violence against elderly residents of nursing homes in the city. Some crimes reportedly go back to July 2007.

Read [ Sexual Violence Against Female Residents of Chicago Nursing Homes ]

Is Taser Abuse out of Control?

January 7, 2011. By Jane Mundy.

Washington, DC: Since 2004, Amnesty International has stated that taser electro-shock weapons are contributing to widespread human rights abuses and that tasers are being used as tools of routine force instead of their original purpose—an alternative to firearms.

Read [ Is Taser Abuse out of Control? ]

A Good Day for Gay Service Members and the ACLU

December 22, 2010. By Jane Mundy.

"President Obama just signed the 'Don't ask, Don't tell' repeal into law—today is a good day," says attorney Joshua Block, American Civil Liberties Union Foundation (ACLU). "It is great that Congress and the President have finally repealed this discriminatory and unconstitutional statute."

Read [ A Good Day for Gay Service Members and the ACLU ]