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.
Seymour is a city in Webster County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,834 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area. The City of Seymour has an alderman/mayor government structure. The current mayor of Seymour is Jerry Miller. The current Chief of Police is Mike Ross. Seymour has two grocery stores, three gas stations, two banks, a YMCA, one high school, two elementary schools and one middle school, a modern public library, and a town museum is in the works. Seymour has an active Lions Club, Arts Council and a Masonic Lodge. Seymour has an award-winning weekly newspaper whose office is located on the west side of the town square; the Webster County Citizen has won more than 240 national and state awards for journalism excellence since 1998. The newspaper's editor and publisher is Dan Wehmer, who came to the community in 1996. The Seymour Merchants Association holds an annual Apple Festival the second weekend of every September. Crowds of up to 30,000 people descend on the town to buy handmade crafts and listen to live gospel and country music. There is still an apple orchard in Seymour. Outside of Seymour is a large Old Order [Amish] Community. The local McDonald’s, Bank, Post Office Price Cutter, and Seymour Discount Grocery and several other businesses have hitching post for Amish Buggies. The Town has three murals painted on building sides on the square, one depicts rolling hills of the surrounding Ozarks, and another depicts the former train depot in 1881.