While many Michigan police officers provide helpful and necessary services to civilians all over Michigan, police misconduct can and does occur, leaving people like you hurt, angry, and in search of justice. When an institution we trust to protect us violates the rights of citizens, this harm should not go unaddressed. If you are facing this type of case, our Michigan police misconduct lawyers are ready to act.
The team at Christensen Law has been helping Michiganders with civil cases for over 30 years, including civil rights cases. We know what a difficult time this is, and we know how intimidating it can be to go up against local or state police. We are determined to have your story heard so we can fight for full and fair compensation after the misconduct of a law enforcement officer or department. Call our team now for a free consultation today to find out how our civil rights lawyers can help.
What Police Misconduct Case Can Our Michigan Lawyers Help With?
Police misconduct covers many actions. Essentially, police misconduct occurs when a law enforcement officer commits an illegal, unlawful, unethical, or otherwise wrongful action. Police misconduct can mean violating someone’s rights, breaking state and federal laws, and failing to uphold standards policies for law enforcement.
Your own case could be an example of multiple forms of violations, but it can be hard to know exactly what rules, laws, or procedures were broken. Police officers and the police departments may be hesitant to admit any wrongdoing or say that their actions were within the scope of law enforcement tasks.
As your police misconduct lawyers, we may be able to help you fight back against cases like:
- Police brutality or excessive force
- Sexual assault and abuse by a police officer
- Wrongful imprisonment, false arrest, and malicious prosecution
- Forced confession
- Racial profiling and other discrimination by law enforcement officials
- Intimidation and harassment
- Unlawful searches and seizures
- Unlawful civil forfeiture
- Perjury and false testimony
This is not a complete list of examples of police misconduct, so you may have a case not listed above. If you think your rights were violated, or that a police officer or department did not follow policies or procedures, you may have a case. Each case is quite unique and complex, and the sooner you reach out to our civil rights attorneys, the better.
What Rights Do Michigan Citizens Have Against Police Misconduct?
Despite some police officers thinking they are above the law, you have rights and protections from their misconduct.
However, navigating these laws on your own can be quite difficult for many reasons. These laws are very nuanced, and it’s easy to misinterpret them if you are not trained to do so. You may be recovering from serious injuries and emotional trauma; you should not have to deal with something as intimidating as fighting back against law enforcement in civil proceedings or trial.
If we handle your police misconduct case, we will look at many laws and regulations that offer you protections in order to demonstrate the violation of said protections. Some of the laws that offer protections to Michiganders include:
- Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. 175-1927-IV is a section that outlines laws surrounding arrests in Michigan. Police officers may violate any number of requirements outlined in these statutes, and that could indicate a violation of your civil rights. For example:
- Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 764.15: This statute outlines when a police officer can arrest someone without a warrant. If your arrest did not meet the circumstances outlined here or in related statutes, we can argue that misconduct occurred.
- Fourth Amendment: The Fourth Amendment is enshrined in the U.S. Constitution and protects individuals from unlawful searches and seizures. If your police misconduct lawsuit is a result of an unlawful search and seizure, we can argue that an officer’s actions were unconstitutional.
- 18 U.S.C. § 242: This federal law protects people from being deprived of their rights by state, local, and federal officials. 42 U.S.C. § 1983 allows those wronged by these actions to take civil actions.
- Local law enforcement procedures and policies: In addition to state and federal violations, local police departments have their own policies that their officers must follow. Police who do not uphold or follow these policies could be held liable for misconduct.
Our Michigan personal injury attorneys can use these and other laws to demonstrate a fundamental violation of rights and policies that led to your harm.
What Can Christensen Law Do in Michigan Police Misconduct Cases?
Law enforcement officers and their departments can be quite intimidating for victims of police misconduct. It’s easy to feel like you have no way to fight back, but you do have options. With Christensen Law, you have legal advocates looking to protect your interests and get you the justice you deserve.
We believe in listening to what our clients have to say in order to protect them and their rights to compensation. Your story is important to us and will fight to win compensation on your behalf. As your Michigan police misconduct lawyers, we can help you with many tasks and processes, including:
Evidence Gathering
Our team can collect proof of police misconduct to support our claims for civil action. This means we will work to obtain photos, videos, and eyewitness testimony that can show the incident of misconduct. We will also request records from the officer’s department and other official reports that could indicate a history of misconduct by the individual officer or the department at large.
Some evidence is time-sensitive or may even be disposed of if police are trying to cover up the misconduct, so the sooner we can get started on your case, the better.
Evaluating Damages and Losses
Civil rights cases can have many types of damages associated with them. We can draw on experts who can help review your losses and determine a figure that will help compensate you for all of your economic and non-economic damages.
Communicating With the Other Parties
Like any injury case, there is a lot of back and forth between lawyers and insurance representatives. When you choose our firm to represent you, we can handle all of this communication to spare you the stress of dealing with all these parties.
This also allows us to protect you from making statements that could harm your case. The other party may try to get you to admit fault or say that your losses are not as bad as you claimed.
Negotiating Settlements and Representing You in Court
No amount of money can ever make up for the harm caused by police misconduct, but it’s important that we fight for an offer that helps compensate you for your losses and struggles. We will represent you in negotiations, making sure any offers are fair. If the other party refuses to cooperate with our attempts, we are prepared to take your case to trial and fight for compensation through this method.
By completing these and other tasks, we are prepared to help you seek financial justice. Call Christensen Law today to get started.
Seeking Damages for a Michigan Police Misconduct Case
Misconduct by peace officers can involve physical harm, financial losses, and mental and emotional trauma. When we represent you, we will make sure to seek appropriate compensation for losses like:
- Medical bills and expenses, if the police misconduct resulted in physical trauma
- Mental health expenses to help you cope with the mental distress you’ve suffered
- Lost income and earning potential, if you have been unable to work because of the harm you suffered
- Emotional distress, including humiliation, loss of enjoyment of life, and other forms of mental or emotional anguish you may be dealing with
- Property damage
- Wrongful death damages if a loved one died as a result of police misconduct
We will make sure to seek the full extent of these and other losses not listed here. it’s important to note that a lawsuit for damages is subject to the state statute of limitations. Per Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 600.5805, you may only have three years to take legal action. We can let you know if any circumstances paused or extended the deadline, but we recommend you reach out to us as soon as you can following this incident of misconduct.
Act Now for Help With Your Michigan Police Misconduct Case
When you’re ready, call the Michigan police misconduct lawyers at Christensen Law for a free consultation. We can discuss the details of your case and help you seek justice for this violation of your civil rights.
