{"id":355591,"date":"2016-04-04T10:41:54","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:41:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/civilrights\/civil-rights-overview\/civil-rights-basics.html"},"modified":"2024-08-19T15:23:57","modified_gmt":"2024-08-19T20:23:57","slug":"civil-rights-basics","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/civilrights\/civil-rights-overview\/civil-rights-basics.html","title":{"rendered":"Civil Rights Law Basics"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 fl-sectionWithSidebar fl-container fl-flex fl-flex-wrap fl-gap30\">\n    \n    <div class=\"fl-page-articles fl-section-main fl-section-main-full-width\">\n        <h1 class=\"fl-no-margin-top\">Civil Rights Law Basics<\/h1>\n<section class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline\">\n    <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-content\">\n                    By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/danielle-gilmore-esq\/\">Danielle Gilmore, Esq.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by <a\n                href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/aviana-cooper-esq\/\">Aviana Cooper, Esq.<\/a>\n                | Last updated\n        <time>\n                            August 19, 2024\n                    <\/time>\n    <\/div>\n\n    \n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-legally-reviewed\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Legally Reviewed\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team.html\">FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/company-history\/editorial-policy.html\">our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n\n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-fast-checked\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Fact-Checked\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/contributing-authors.html\">contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please <a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/?fli=bylinelink\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n<\/section>\n<p>Welcome to FindLaw&#8217;s Civil Rights Basics section, which introduces civil rights and related laws. &quot;Civil rights&quot; refers to statutory and court-mandated protections from discrimination. It includes other forms of unequal treatment based on national origin, race, gender, and other characteristics. Civil rights also provide freedom from cruel or excessive force by police officers or other government agents. Articles and resources include:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/civilrights\/civil-rights-overview\/civil-rights-law-and-history.html\">Primer on the origins of civil rights laws<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/constitution.findlaw.com\/bill-of-rights.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Overview of the Bill of Rights<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/civilrights\/civil-rights-overview\/civil-rights-u-s-supreme-court-decisions.html\">Summaries of landmark U.S. Supreme Court decisions impacting civil rights<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2>What Are Civil Rights?<\/h2>\r\n<p>Many people interchange &quot;civil rights&quot; and &quot;civil liberties,&quot; but&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/civilrights\/civil-rights-overview\/civil-rights-vs-civil-liberties.html\">they mean different things<\/a>. \u201cCivil rights&quot; refer to the rights of all people to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/dictionary.findlaw.com\/definition\/equal-protection.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">equal protection of the laws<\/a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/dictionary.findlaw.com\/definition\/due-process.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">due process of law<\/a>. These rights protect people from discrimination based on race, religion, and other characteristics. They are often laid out in federal laws like the Civil Rights Act.<\/p>\r\n<p>Civil liberties are specific freedoms granted under the law, including the Bill of Rights. For example:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Freedom of the press<\/li>\r\n<li>Freedom of speech<\/li>\r\n<li>Freedom of assembly<\/li>\r\n<li>Freedom of religion<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>If the police place you under arrest after you write an opinion piece on the newspaper&#8217;s website, that is a civil liberties violation. The arrest violates your First Amendment free speech rights even if you defamed someone in the article.<\/p>\r\n<p>A civil rights violation is different. For example, if a landlord refuses to lease an apartment to an Asian family, that is a civil rights violation under the Fair Housing Act.<\/p>\r\n<p>Local and state governments cannot places limits on civil rights that the federal government grants. But depending on the jurisdiction, regional or state governments may expand on civil rights. State laws and local ordinances often offer more protections.<\/p>\r\n<h2>The Basic Purpose of Civil Rights<\/h2>\r\n<p>Civil rights have a lot in common with human rights. Both types of rights exist to help people have access to specific freedoms. The main difference is the source of the rights. Basic human rights stem from just being a person. They are fundamental rights, such as voting rights and the right to a fair trial. The rights are universal and not tied to one country.<\/p>\r\n<p>Civil rights tend to come from written laws. For example, American civil rights come from the U.S. Constitution. Civil rights protect you from discrimination and unfair treatment by the government.<\/p>\r\n<h2>Discrimination Overview<\/h2>\r\n<p>One of the main functions of the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/legalblogs\/law-and-life\/what-is-the-civil-rights-act-of-1964\/\">Civil Rights Act of 1964<\/a>&nbsp;is to prevent discrimination. The Act aims to shield minorities and marginalized people against discrimination in:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Employment<\/li>\r\n<li>Housing<\/li>\r\n<li>Education<\/li>\r\n<li>Public accommodations<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>To discriminate is to mistreat someone based on a particular characteristic. This characteristic could be a trait such as skin color or sexual orientation. One of these characteristics is being a protected class member under specific laws. For instance, African Americans belong to a protected class. And they may file federal claims as a member of this group if someone discriminates against them due to race or skin color.<\/p>\r\n<p>The following characteristics define the various protected classes under federal civil rights law:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><b>Age<\/b>&nbsp;\u2014 The law protects employees over 40 from age-related discrimination.<\/li>\r\n<li><b>Color<\/b>&nbsp;\u2014 Someone&#8217;s race may be less of a factor than skin color or tone, so this covers such scenarios.<\/li>\r\n<li><b>Disability<\/b>&nbsp;\u2014 The&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/civilrights\/discrimination\/the-americans-with-disabilities-act-overview.html\">Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)<\/a>&nbsp;protects the rights of the disabled.<\/li>\r\n<li><b>Genetic information<\/b>&nbsp;\u2014&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/smallbusiness\/employment-law-and-human-resources\/genetic-information-discrimination-.html\">Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act (GINA)<\/a>&nbsp;bars genetics-based discrimination. It prevents employers and others from using DNA or genetic markers to screen people.<\/li>\r\n<li><b>National origin<\/b>&nbsp;\u2014 It is unlawful to discriminate based on national origin. It may also include ethnicity. It makes no difference if the perpetrator is mistaken about the target&#8217;s nationality. Similarly, the ADA prohibits discrimination against people merely perceived to have a disability.<\/li>\r\n<li><b>Race<\/b>&nbsp;\u2014 Racial discrimination against African Americans was the primary motivation for the Civil Rights Act.<\/li>\r\n<li><b>Religion<\/b><i>&nbsp;<\/i>\u2014 Employers may require employees to make certain concessions if they can prove a compelling reason. For instance, fire departments can require men who grow beards for religious reasons to shave since facial hair may compromise the effectiveness of ventilators.<\/li>\r\n<li><b>Sex\/gender<\/b>&nbsp;\u2014 Includes protections for women, men, and intersex people. &quot;Because of sex&quot; encompasses gender, gender identity, and transgender status.<\/li>\r\n<li><b>Sexual Orientation<\/b>&nbsp;\u2014 Protects LGBTQ people, including, but not limited to, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and pansexual people, from discrimination.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2>Examples of Civil Rights Violations<\/h2>\r\n<p>How can you recognize when someone violates your civil rights? Remember that the wrongdoer is generally a government actor. Most civil rights laws apply to state and federal employers, public schools, law enforcement officers, and other government officials.<\/p>\r\n<p>But, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act extends federal civil rights protections to actions by private employers as well. There are also federal civil rights laws relating to housing.<\/p>\r\n<p>Here are examples of civil rights violations:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Your employer fires you, demotes you, or gives you more job duties because of your sexual orientation or race.<\/li>\r\n<li>Your employer retaliates against you because of your reported workplace harassment or discrimination.<\/li>\r\n<li>Your child&#8217;s school engages in segregation based on gender.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>If someone violates another&#8217;s civil rights, the victim has a claim to file legal action. Consult with a civil rights attorney if you suspect that you have a claim.<\/p>\r\n<p>Click on a link below to learn more about the basics of civil rights.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"was-this-helpful\">\n    <div\n            class=\"was-this-helpful__question-container\"\n            aria-labelledby=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n            role=\"group\"\n    >\n        <span\n                id=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__question fl-text-lg-bold\"\n        >Was this helpful?<\/span>\n        <button\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__button fl-text-sm\"\n                aria-label=\"Yes\"\n                value=\"yes\"\n        >\n            <span class=\"was-this-helpful__button-text fl-text-bold\">Yes<\/span>\n            <i class=\"was-this-helpful__button-icon\">\n                <svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 22 22\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                    <g id=\"thumbs-up\" 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20.6839 11.2044 21 12 21L16 12V0.999995H4.72003C4.2377 0.994543 3.76965 1.16359 3.40212 1.47599C3.0346 1.78839 2.79235 2.22309 2.72003 2.7L1.34003 11.7C1.29652 11.9866 1.31586 12.2793 1.39669 12.5577C1.47753 12.8362 1.61793 13.0937 1.80817 13.3125C1.99842 13.5313 2.23395 13.7061 2.49846 13.8248C2.76297 13.9435 3.05012 14.0033 3.34003 14H9.00003Z\"\n                              stroke=\"#666666\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\n                    <\/g>\n                    <defs>\n                        <clipPath id=\"clip0_604_3423\">\n                            <rect width=\"22\" height=\"22\" fill=\"white\"\/>\n                        <\/clipPath>\n                    <\/defs>\n                <\/svg>\n            <\/i>\n        <\/button>\n    <\/div>\n    <span class=\"was-this-helpful__taken-action fl-text-sm-bold\"><\/span>\n    <div class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-container\">\n        <div 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                 for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--missing-info\"\n                        >Missing the information I need<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fl-radio-button-field fl-flex was-this-helpful__feedback-form-title\">\n                        <input\n                                id=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--complicated\"\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"negative-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Too complicated\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--complicated\"\n                        >Too complicated \/ too many steps<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                    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          class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"negative-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Other\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--negative-other\"\n                        >Other<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/fieldset>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"was-this-helpful__form-buttons-container\">\n                <button\n                    class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-button was-this-helpful__feedback-button--positive at-feedback-submit fl-button secondary\"\n                    type=\"submit\"\n                >\n                    <span class=\"fl-button-content\">Submit<\/span>\n                    <i\n                        class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\"\n                        aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                    ><\/i>\n                <\/button>\n                <button\n                    class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-button was-this-helpful__feedback-button--cancel fl-button primary disabled\"\n                    type=\"reset\"\n                >\n                    <span class=\"fl-button-content\">Cancel<\/span>\n                    <i\n                        class=\"fa fa-times-circle medium\"\n                        aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                    ><\/i>\n                <\/button>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/form>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"was-this-helpful__thank-you-message\" role=\"status\">\n        <i class=\"was-this-helpful__thank-you-message-icon fa fa-check\"><\/i>\n        <p class=\"was-this-helpful__thank-you-message-text\" aria-live=\"polite\"><\/p>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n    <\/div>\n    \n    <div class=\"fl-section-sidebar\">\n        <div class=\"fl-editors-summary\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary\">\n    \n    <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content\">\n                    <h2>Can I Solve This on My Own or Do I Need an Attorney?<\/h2>\n                <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content-main\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-main\">\n            \n        <\/div>\n        <ul class=\"fl-list-style-none\">\n                            <li data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-item\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-check medium fl-editors-summary-content-item-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    Most civil rights cases need the help of an attorney\n\n                <\/li>\n                            <li data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-item\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-check medium fl-editors-summary-content-item-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    Complex civil rights cases (such as 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Many offer free consultations and can offer tailored advice during your court case.<\/p>\n\n            <\/div>\n                            <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content-link fl-flex\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-link\">\n                <i class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                <p class=\"find-attorney\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/civil-rights\/#USER_GEO\/?fli=esum:FL10\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Find a local attorney<\/a><\/p>\n\n            <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"email-subscription fl-mb30\">\n    <div class=\"email-subscription-header\">\n        <div class=\"email-subscription-header-content\">\n            <h3 class=\"fl-callout-sm fl-no-margin\">Stay Up-to-Date With How the Law Affects Your Life<\/h3>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"email-subscription-header-image fl-flex fl-items-end\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\"\n                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                   <\/ul>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What are civil rights? How can you protect them? This article from FindLaw discusses these issues and how to protect yourself from discrimination.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41135,"featured_media":0,"parent":355587,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"app\/Http\/Controllers\/Templates\/ArticleWithBreadcrumbsController.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_stopmodifiedupdate":true,"_modified_date":"","_autodraft_ids":[],"_cloudinary_featured_overwrite":false,"_sb_is_suggestion_mode":false,"_sb_show_suggestion_boards":false,"_sb_show_comment_boards":false,"_sb_suggestion_history":"","_sb_update_block_changes":"","_is_real_time_mode":false,"_realtime_collaborators":"","footnotes":"","cf_checklist_status":[]},"categories":[2736],"tags":[],"state_laws_tags":[],"flmsa":[],"class_list":["post-355591","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","category-civilrights"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/355591","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41135"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=355591"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/355591\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/355587"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=355591"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=355591"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=355591"},{"taxonomy":"state_laws_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/state_laws_tags?post=355591"},{"taxonomy":"flmsa","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/law-api\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/flmsa?post=355591"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}