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.
Ringgold is a city in Catoosa County, Georgia, United States. The population was 2,422 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Catoosa County. Ringgold is part of the Chattanooga, TN–GA Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city was incorporated on December 18, 1847 and was named after Samuel Ringgold, a hero of the Battle of Palo Alto in the U.S. -Mexican War. Ringgold is where the locomotive General stopped during the great locomotive chase on April 12, 1862. Ringgold is also home to the historic Ringgold Depot which still contains bullet marks from the American Civil War. The Battle of Ringgold Gap took place here on November 27, 1863. Confederate Major General Patrick Cleburne with 4,100 men used the mountain pass known as the "Ringgold Gap" to stall the advance of Union Major General Joseph Hooker and his troops. General Joseph Hooker's troops were over 12,000 strong. It was a Confederate victory because it allowed Confederate artillery and wagon trains to move safely through the "Ringgold Gap" unharmed while inflicting high Union casualties. On March 14, 2002, a sudden heavy fog played havoc with morning traffic and contributed to one of the worst traffic pileups in history; 125 vehicles crashed on Interstate 75 South and 4 people died. The city also gained some notoriety for erecting a display that included the Ten Commandments, the Lord's Prayer, and a third blank frame. The stated purpose of the third frame was to include alternate beliefs, but the city agreed to remove the display as part of a settlement of complaints. Entertainer Dolly Parton's husband Carl Dean, is from Ringgold, and the couple married at the Ringgold Courthouse in 1966. George Jones and Tammy Wynette were also married in Ringgold. The city has traditionally been a "marriage center" because of the short waiting time after blood tests; one testing laboratory in the community offers a combination test/wedding package and sells clocks with the inscription, "I got married in Ringgold, Ga."