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Civil Rights

The lawyers at Eric J. Hertz P.C. pride themselves in their commitment to fighting for the rights of others. Every person is entitled to the rights provided to them by the United States Constitution. When those rights are violated by government officials, the government should be held accountable.

Eric J. Hertz P.C. focuses on civil rights cases where government officials, such as police officers, act out of line. In many of our cases, the officer involved has either been fired or arrested for their conduct. These cases involve issues such as police brutality, brutalization of prisoners and inmates, and systematic issues in government.

This picture shows Eric J. Hertz talking on this solemn occasion beside Attorney Benjamin Crump and Gerald Griggs, president of the Georgia State Conference of the NAACP.

Types of Civil Rights Cases
Police Brutality
Jail and Prison Cases
Wrongful Death
Systematic Issues
What To Do If You Have A Civil Rights Case?

The first thing that you should do if you have a civil rights case is contact an experienced attorney who has litigated civil rights cases in the past. It is also important to make sure that you keep a record of everything that you think is important in a diary or notebook. Write down names of people, conversations, dates, locations, examples of wrongdoing, etc. Time is of the essence in a civil rights matter. Depending on the jurisdiction and subject matter of the case, civil right cases can have very strict time-sensitive deadlines. It is important to seek help as soon as possible.

High-Profile Cases
Some Examples of Newsworthy Cases

Eric J. Hertz has worked on many newsworthy cases. Below are a few examples of cases against a government entity that gained media attention.

Mathew Stoddard

"One of the things that is particularly of interest for us is to make sure that people who have mental health crises are treated like mental health patients, not like criminals." said Eric Hertz, the attorney representing Stoddard's family.

See: Ooltewah man dies after encounters with Sullivan Co. deputies leave him hospitalized | Chattanooga Times Free Press

Casey Crowley

In this high-profile case, Mr. Crowley was shot four times outside a Blountville Dollar General store after three officers arrived to conduct a welfare check. In an interview with the press, Mr. Hertz said "Karen Crowley’s plight moved me in this one."

See: Attorneys for widow of man shot by SCSO officers speak (msn.com)

Brianna Grier

In this case, Ms. Grier was arrested during a mental health crisis and fell out of a police car after the door was left open.

See: Georgia mom Brianna Grier died after arrest. Her family is suing. (usatoday.com)

Inmate Found Hanged in Cell

This was one of the largest jail suicide settlements for this county. It gained media attention by the Gwinnett Daily Post in 2001.

YDC Teen Left Paralyzed

Mr. Hertz has sued numerous governmental entities throughout his career. This case gathered media attention by the Athens Daily News in 1995.

School Bus Driver Charged in Boys Death

A case where Eric J. Hertz represented the family of a five-year-old tragically run over by his school bus. This case gathered media attention by the Atlanta Journal Constitution in 2009.

Marta Passenger Sues for Eye Injury

This case was reported by The Georgia Trial Reporter. This large case involved suing Marta. We have successfully handled numerous cases against public transportation entities.

Janathaen Strum

This case involves a police shooting of an "unarmed" man. In a statement to the press regarding this case, Eric Hertz said, “We seek to hold those responsible for this shooting accountable for their actions.”

See: Man shot in back by officer files lawsuit against Columbus Police Department (wtvm.com)

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