A civil right is an enforceable right or privilege, which if interfered with by another gives rise to an action for injury. Examples of civil rights are freedom of speech, press, and assembly; the right to vote; freedom from involuntary servitude; and the right to equality in public places. Discrimination occurs when the civil rights of an individual are denied or interfered with because of their membership in a particular group or class. Statutes have been enacted to prevent discrimination based on race, sex, religion, age, previous condition of servitude, physical limitation, national origin, and in some instances sexual preference. Civil rights attorneys handle cases involving the rights of individuals to be free from unequal treatment (or discrimination) based on legally-protected characteristics such as race, gender, disability, national origin, age, sexual orientation, and religion. Civil rights cases can arise in a number of settings -- including employment, housing, lending, and education.
Hilmar (formerly, Hillmar) is an unincorporated community in Merced County, California. It is located 4.25 miles (6.8 km) west-southwest of Delhi, at an elevation of 92 feet (28 m). For census purposes, Hilmar is aggregated with nearby communities into the census-designated place Hilmar-Irwin, California. Hilmar began as a colony of Swedish immigrants in 1917. The first post office opened in 1920. Hilmar was the southernmost station of the Tidewater Southern Railway. The line terminating in the town was considered the mainline of the railroad and was projected to continue south toward Fresno or Bakersfield until the mid 1930s. The line into Hilmar was abandoned in the late 1950s.