Civil Rights Appeals

Civil rights cases can arise in a wide variety of circumstances when governmental actors exercise state power over private citizens. Under 42 U.S.C. 1983 and other laws, anyone who, acting under color of state law, deprives someone of any rights secured by the U.S. Constitution or federal law has committed a civil rights violation. These violations can occur in a wide variety of circumstances, including any interaction with law enforcement, and discriminatory application of any governmental civil authority.

Civil rights appeals can be highly specialized, implicating doctrines unique to the area that can substantially affect how an appeal is conducted and resolved. For example, the doctrine of qualified immunity can protect government officials from liability for violating a citizen’s civil rights under certain circumstances. Moreover, it can provide an avenue for interlocutory appellate rights where they would not exist in any other type of case. For that reason, it is important to have appellate counsel with experience navigating those issues.