CIVIL RIGHTS

Being American means enjoying certain rights and freedoms. Due process. Freedom of Speech. Equal protection under the law.  Government bodies and private companies often lose sight of these important rights in the pursuit of their everyday objectives. Donald Doherty believes in your civil rights and fights vigorously to uphold them.

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In many circumstances, you may be entitled to compensation or civil penalties payable to you – but retaining Donald Doherty to defend your rights never costs you a dime. When you win your case, state and federal law requires the civil rights violator to pay your legal bills and costs. We never get paid unless you win.

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A personal injury attorney or general practitioner may not be the best lawyer to handle your civil rights action. Civil rights claims requires an attorney to consistently argue legal technicalities, historical points, and American political theory. Civil rights action generally involve a power struggle at some level, and resolving a civil rights claim is rarely as simple as working out a mutually beneficial deal with an insurance company.

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Our cases include:

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Fernandez v. Willingboro and Constantine v. Bass River, two class actions concerning the rights of criminal defendants to obtain evidence in a municipalitie's possession.

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Felicioni v. Administrative Office of the Courts, a class action revamping the criminal restitution payment system to make it more fair to the victims of crime.

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Zagami v. Cottrell, a case involving the right to freely speak at public meetings without fear of being sued.

Cottrell v. Good Wheels, one of a series of cases defending the right to enforce the Americans With Disabilities Act without fear of retaliation.

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O’Shea & Paff v. Emerson, a case involving public access to police discipline records.