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.
Spottsville, Kentucky is a tiny town in Henderson County, in Western Kentucky, with a population of about 2,400 people. US Highway 60 cuts through Spottsville. The Green River runs through Spottsville, and the Green River Lock & Dam is located in the city. If you travel east through Spottsville, you can see the Lock to your right when you cross the Green River bridge. You can still see some of the remains of the old locks that were replaced in the mid 1960's; to your left, you can see a turning bridge for trains (it turns when a barge comes through). There are two Protestant Churches and one elementary school, which serves all of the Eastern part of Henderson County. The original Spottsville school, which served all grades, provided Henderson County's first school bus service in 1920. This original Spottsville school burned down in March 1932. Spottsville was named for Major Samuel Spotts, who shot the first gun at the Battle of New Orleans. The area was visited by the Spanish explorer, Hernando de Soto in 1541. His army was attacked near the Ohio River by Indians of a tribe or tribes called variously the Kashinampo, the Quizqui, and the Chiska. From 1904 to 1911 as many as 116 men of the Green River Coal Company mined coal in Spottsville. Then the Pittsburg Coal Company operated a 75-man coal camp in Spottsville from 1911 to 1924.