Suing For Police Brutality In Wisconsin Violent interactions between citizens and Wisconsin police remain common despite increased media attention and officer training. When a citizen is injured during an altercation with the police, he or she may be able to sue for police brutality.

Section 1983 of Civil Rights Act Protects Against Police Brutality

The Civil Rights Act protects U.S. citizens’ constitutional rights. Section 1983 of the Act provides specific protection from the use of excessive force by law enforcement while also providing a way to sue police officers, government agencies, and even officials in those cases.

Section 1983 protections commonly cover 4^th, 5^th, and 14^th Amendment rights. Under Section 1983, victims can file lawsuits in federal court if they have been subject to mistreatment by the police such as:

• Excessive force. Officers are able to use reasonable amounts of force when restraining or capturing suspects, but the courts can find that in certain circumstances the force was unreasonable, which would allow a victim to recover damages.
• Racial slurs. Racial slurs or epithets are never condoned under any rule of law. The use of such language constitutes verbal abuse and can lead to a recovery of damages under Section 1983.
• Lethal force. The use of lethal force, such as shooting to kill a suspect, may be a violation of a person’s 4^th Amendment Rights; both victims and their families can sue for damages in these instances.

Have Your Rights Been Violated In Wisconsin?

Victims of mistreatment by police officers often feel helpless and don’t know where to turn or what to do to get justice. Fortunately, the law does offer protection for victims of injustices like this by allowing them to bring lawsuits against the law enforcement officers themselves, the government agency employing those officers, and even the elected officials of the agency employing the officers.

Although such situations can be complex and you may feel hopeless, remember that civil protections do exist and there are attorneys available to help you such as those at Eisenberg Law Offices in Madison.

If you have been injured during an arrest or altercation with the police and wonder if you can sue for damages, contact Eisenberg Law Offices at 608-256-8356 or email Info@eisenberglaw.org to discuss your situation. (opens in a new tab)]]>