Practice Area
Civil Rights
Holding police, jails, and government officials accountable when they violate your constitutional rights — statewide across Missouri.
Overview
When the government crosses the line, the Constitution has answers.
The same government that prosecutes people is bound by the Constitution — and when officials break those rules, the law provides a way to hold them accountable. We represent people harmed by police misconduct, wrongful conviction, and unconstitutional treatment in Missouri’s jails and prisons.
Civil rights cases are demanding: they take investigation, persistence, and a willingness to stand up to powerful institutions. They also carry strict filing deadlines, so it is important to speak with a lawyer early — well before the time to act runs out.
What we handle
Our civil rights work
Police Misconduct & Excessive Force
When officers use force beyond what the law allows, make an arrest without cause, or conduct an unlawful search, we pursue accountability — including claims for excessive force, false arrest, and malicious prosecution.
Wrongful Conviction
For people convicted of crimes they did not commit, we pursue the constitutional violations behind the conviction and the civil claims that can follow an exoneration.
§1983 Constitutional Claims
Under 42 U.S.C. §1983, individuals can sue government officials who violate their constitutional rights while acting under color of law. These federal claims are the core of most civil rights litigation, and we handle them statewide.
Jail & Prison Conditions
People in custody keep their constitutional rights. We represent those harmed by deliberate indifference to serious medical needs, unsafe conditions, and mistreatment behind bars.
Claims we bring
Types of civil rights claims
Every case turns on its own facts. These are among the claims we regularly pursue:
- Excessive force by police or corrections officers
- False arrest and wrongful detention
- Unlawful search and seizure
- Malicious prosecution
- Wrongful conviction and post-exoneration claims
- Deliberate indifference to serious medical needs
- Unconstitutional jail and prison conditions
- First Amendment retaliation
Not sure whether what happened to you is a civil rights violation? Call us — we’ll talk it through.
How we build a case
Accountability takes evidence
Investigate what happened
We gather the proof — incident reports, body-camera and surveillance video, medical records, and witness accounts — before memories fade and records disappear.
Build the record
Working with the right experts and documentation, we establish what the Constitution required, what the officials did instead, and the harm it caused.
Pursue accountability
We file suit under §1983 and related law, litigate through discovery, and are prepared to take the case to a jury when a fair resolution isn’t offered.
Talk to us about your case
A confidential conversation is the first step.
If your rights have been violated by the police, a jail, or a government official, reach out — you can reach us by phone 24/7.
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