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.
Balm is an unincorporated, rural community located in southeastern Hillsborough County, Florida, approximately 18 miles southeast of Tampa. It is the location of Goodson Farms packing house and vegetable/fruit stand. In 2005, Goodsons had begun rebuilding the stand on the intersection of McGrady Road and 301. It was completed in late 2006. There are also four tropical fish farms and a small holding area for Barnum and Bailey's circus animals. One well known landmark is the Balm post office, which has been part of the community for over 50 years. The small town is undergoing construction of new houses and may eventually be upgraded to a suburb, hopefully bringing mail delivery and broadband Internet service to the area. As of today, the town is constantly being neglected by the county. On January 17, 2007, it was announced that a previously scheduled mitigation project had been canceled. This was attributed to the weak real-estate.