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.
Linwood is a small unincorporated community in the northern portion of Bay County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The community is on the boundary between Fraser Township on the north and Kawkawlin Township on the south. M-13 passes to the west and the Saginaw Bay of Lake Huron is on the east. Bay City is about 12 miles to the south and Linwood is included in the Bay City Metropolitan Statistical Area. The Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area is three miles to the north while the Tobico Marsh is three miles to the south. Both are popular places for bird observation and the Wildlife Area is popular with seasonal waterfowl hunters. The settlement began as "Terry's Station", a depot on the Mackinaw division of the Michigan Central Railroad, named for James G. Terry, the head of a local lumber company. He was the first postmaster of a post office named "Terry Station", which opened on February 21, 1872. The office closed on February 16, 1874, but was reestablished on June 6, 1877. On June 28, 1882, the name was changed to Linwood, derived from a combination of the words "line" and "wood", since it was on the line between two different townships and it was also heavily wooded. The railroad station was renamed "Linwood Park". The Linwood post office has ZIP code 48634 and serves the northern portions of Kawkawlin Township and Beaver Township and the southern portions of Fraser Township and Garfield Township. At the 2000 census, the population of the Zip Code Tabulation Area for 48634 was 4,684. Every August, the Pickle Festival is held in Linwood.