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.
Hillsdale is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 10,087. The populated area today known as Hillsdale took form in the mid-to-late 19th century as land speculators, led by David P. Patterson, developed subdivisons to profit from the coming of the Hackensack and New York Connecting Railroad. The area was incorporated as Hillsdale Township on March 25, 1898, from portions of Washington Township, which had, in turn, been set off from Harrington Township in 1840. Portions of the township were taken on April 30, 1906, to create River Vale. Hillsdale was reincorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 2, 1923, based on the results of a referendum held on April 24, 1923.