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.
Avon is a town in the Farmington Valley region of Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. As of 2005, the town has an estimated total population of 17,209. Avon is a suburb of Hartford. Avon Old Farms School, a prestigious boarding school, is located there. In 2005, Avon was named the third-safest town in America by Money Magazine. It is home to the Pine Grove School House, which was built in 1865 and remains open today as a museum. Avon is home to Avon High School; as well as two elementary schools, Pine Grove Elementary and Roaring Brook Elementary; an intermediate (grades 5-6) school, Thompson Brook; and a middle school (grades 7-8), Avon Middle School. One of the worst traffic accidents in Connecticut history occurred at the intersection of US 44 and Route 10 at the foot of Avon Mountain. This occurred on July 29, 2005 when a runaway dump truck plowed into many stopped vehicles, causing four deaths. Governor M. Jodi Rell has since proposed safety improvements for this road A second, nonfatal crash occurred at the same location on September 7, 2007 when a runaway truck crashed into Nassau's Furniture store . Since these accidents, a run-away truck ramp has been built to avoid future fatalities.