Police Department

Have you been involved in a situation with the police where you believe excessive force was used? Do you feel like your civil rights were violated? If so, it may be in your best interests to sue the police, but this isn't a matter to be taken lightly. All legal matters are serious, but when you’re going up against the very people who are meant to protect the public, it can be incredibly stressful and sobering.

To help you make an informed decision, here are a few things you need to know before suing a police department.

Do You Have a Strong Case?

The first thing to do is determine if you have a strong case. Suing the police department is a serious matter and you need to be sure you have evidence to back up your claims. You don’t want to lose the battle simply because you weren’t prepared.

What are the Grounds for the Claim?

Besides having strong evidence to support your case, you also have to be clear on what civil rights were violated. It could include things such as:

  • Excessive force
  • Wrongful conviction
  • Wrongful search and seizure
  • Unlawful arrests
  • Action that was race-based
  • Violence that was race-based

There may be more than one violation against your civil rights, and each one will need to be cited in the claim.

What Kind of Settlement Are You After?

In terms of the settlement, there is a lot that goes into the final dollar amount. Historically speaking, there have been some rather massive settlements in the United States. Take a look at the George Floyd case, which captured the attention of the country. The case ended in a $27 million settlement, not to mention the changes to practices and policies that were then put in place.

There are other big cases to look at too, such as the $12 million settlement Breonna Taylor's family received, and the reform that was then taken in terms of police practices. The list just goes on from there.

Don’t Go About Things on Your Own

Suing police department personnel is a very serious matter, and for those reasons, you don’t want to do it on your own. The police department has experienced lawyers at their fingertips for such matters, so they are prepared, and they know how to go about defending the officers. Your best rebuttal is to hire an experienced lawyer who has successfully dealt with excessive force cases.

Your goal is to hold the police accountable, and that is no easy task. You need a lawyer well-versed in police misconduct and civil rights. You also want to find a lawyer that shows compassion and understands what you must be going through. This will be an extremely stressful time in life, so the more responsibility that can be taken off your shoulders, the better for your mental and physical well-being.

Suing the police department is a hefty undertaking, but it can result in compensation being awarded to you and positive changes and reform happening in the department.