Civil Liberties |
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Civil liberties, enshrined in the United States Constitution, are designed to protect individuals against government powers and to set limits on the government's ability to interfere with the lives of individuals.
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits the government from infringing on an individual's right to freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion, freedom of association, or freedom to petition the government. The Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution prohibit the government from depriving any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. The United States Supreme Court has interpreted "property" in this latter context to encompass the rights and benefits associated with a government employee's job. The Fourteenth Amendment also provides equal protection to prevent the government from enacting laws that discriminate against "suspect" classes of individuals, such as women or racial minorities.
Because these constitutional principles apply to governmental entities, free speech, free press, free assembly, free religion, and due process issues often arise in the employment context for local, state, or federal employees. They also often arise in non-employment contexts. Katz, Marshall & Banks represents clients in a variety of civil liberties matters in suits against federal, state and local governments.
If your civil liberties are or have been violated and you are thinking about reporting it, or if you have already reported it and are facing retaliation, contact the experienced lawyers at Katz, Marshall & Banks for an evaluation of your case with no further obligation. You can also look at our useful links page for a list of organizations that also provide information on civil liberties matters.
