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.
Swampscott is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States located 12 miles up the coast from Boston in an area known as the North Shore. The population was 14,565 at the 2007 census. A former summer resort on Massachusetts Bay, Swampscott is today an affluent residential community which includes the village of Beach Bluff, as well as part of the neighborhood of Clifton. The town is home to Marian Court College. As of 2008 it was one of the top twenty wealthiest towns in Massachusetts.