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.
Belfry is a census-designated place (CDP) in Carbon County, Montana, United States. It is part of the Billings, Montana Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 219 at the 2000 census. It is located approximately 11 miles from the Wyoming border, roughly halfway between Billings, Montana and Cody, Wyoming. Belfry is predominantly an agricultural community. The primary crops are sugar beets, alfalfa, and feed corn. Ranchers raise cattle and sheep. Water for agricultural use comes mostly from the Clark's Fork of the Yellowstone River through several cooperative ditch companies, with water rights dating back 100 years or more. At its peak in the early 1900s, a railway line came into Belfry, with a spur running up to the coal mines in Bearcreek. When the mines closed down and the railway line was removed, Belfry's population dropped to its current level. Currently, the community has a general store, a bar, a restaurant, and a small bar/restaurant/casino.