Civil Rights Violations by Law Enforcement
Excessive Force · False Arrest · Prison Abuse
If you or a family member suffered injury or abuse at the hands of police officers or jail staff, there may be a cause of action under federal and state civil rights laws.
The Law Offices of Shelley L. Stangler, P.C., has an established record of success in holding law enforcement agencies and correctional facilities accountable for police misconduct and other civil rights violations. Located in Springfield, we represent individuals in Union County, surrounding counties and throughout New Jersey.
There is a strict 90-day statute of limitations to file a Notice of Claim against a public body in New Jersey. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.
A Notable Police Misconduct Victory
Experienced trial lawyer Shelley Stangler secured a $1.35 million settlement for the mother of a 27-year-old Jersey City man who died of injuries inflicted by an off-duty police officer. That case, one of the highest police brutality awards in state history, also set legal precedent in our related medical malpractice lawsuit against the EMTs, physician and hospital staff who treated the victim after the attack. While emergency medical personnel are normally immune from litigation, we established that they failed to relay critical information to hospital staff that might have saved the life of our client's son.
Police and Corrections Misconduct
The Law Offices of Shelley L. Stangler, P.C. handle all types of civil rights violations involving arrest, custody or incarceration:
- Excessive force or unwarranted lethal force
- Injuries inflicted by police dogs
- False arrest or false imprisonment
- Malicious prosecution
- Assault or abuse by guards
- Assaults from misclassification (non-violent offender in cell with a violent inmate)
- Assault from overcrowding or lack of supervision
- Failure to render aid or provide proper medical care
Shelley Stangler also has broad experience in education law and has handled police misconduct and civil rights cases involving searches, interrogation, arrest and detention of high school or college students suspected of crimes. Individual rights are more limited in a school or university setting, and Ms. Stangler is eminently qualified to sort out those issues.
To hold a municipality, a county or the state liable for police misconduct, we must demonstrate a pattern of conduct or indifference. We must show that the governing body was negligent in the way officers were trained or disciplined, or lax in enforcing its own policies. Monetary damages can include physical injuries, as well as emotional pain and suffering, or lost earnings if a wrongful criminal prosecution cost you a job or career prospects.
Improper training or the failure to enforce policies and procedures may establish a basis for a police or corrections misconduct claim.
There is a body of law immunizing governmental agencies and employees from many types of claims and suits. Many of the cases are difficult to pursue and win, however, Ms. Stangler has tremendous experience in this area of law.
Ms. Stangler spent her formative years as Corporation Counsel for the City of New York, where she presented more than 100 cases to juries. She has a firm grasp of the extensive discovery and independent investigation required to prevail in these civil rights lawsuits.
Call our Springfield office at 877-267-9907 to arrange a consultation, including evening appointments. You can also contact our attorney online. We have Spanish-speaking staff.
