Civil Rights Lawyer Located in Luzerne County 

Also Serving Lackawanna, Monroe, Columbia, Wyoming, Susquehanna, Schuylkill, Carbon, Pike, and Wayne counties

No one is above the law. Not even those in uniform or otherwise acting in an official government capacity. When a person’s constitutional rights are violated by someone in authority, they have the basis for a lawsuit, and our Luzerne County civil rights lawyer has the experience necessary to fight for them. 

The Law Office of William I. Abraham has spent over 20 years fighting to protect people’s rights and secure justice. From our Luzerne County office, we serve the people of Monroe, Columbia, and Lackawanna counties, and beyond. 

Call today at (570) 762-9988 or reach out here online to set up a free consultation. 

Section 1983 Civil Rights Violations

The Civil Rights Act of 1871 contains Section 1983. That section allows citizens to sue those employed by governments—state, local, and federal—if the abuse of authority violates standing constitutional rights. 

For a Section 1983 claim to exist, the perpetrator not only needs to be a government employee, but they need to be using that authority to carry out their acts. The legal term for this acting “under color of law”.

As an example, if a police officer uses unjust force after a traffic stop, this can be a Section 1983 claim because the officer is directly using their position with the government to take action. If this same officer were to instigate an altercation while off-duty and in plain clothes, then Section 1983 does not apply. 

What’s more, the actions taken “under color of law” must serve to deprive someone of their constitutional rights. If both of these elements—the color of law, and the deprivation of constitutional rights are present, then our Luzerne County civil rights attorney can bring a Section 1983 claim on the plaintiff’s behalf. 

Do you believe your rights have been violated? Contact the Law Office of William I. Abraham by calling (570) 762-9988 or filling out our online contact form and get a free consultation on your case.