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.
Palisades, formerly known as Sneden's Landing and then Rockland, is a hamlet in the Town of Orangetown Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Rockleigh and Alpine, New Jersey; east of Tappan; south of Sparkill and west of the Hudson River. The hamlet has no mayor, nor any official legislative bodies. It does, however, have its own library, and post office, with the zip code 10964. It is almost entirely residential with the exception of a small industrial area section on the Tappan border. The area commonly referred to as Snedens Landing, is located within the eastern portion of Palisades between US Route 9W and the Hudson River. The hamlet has a registered historic district known as the Closter Road - Oak Tree Road Historic District. The district comprises the area from the north side of Closter Road and south side of Oak Tree Road approximately 1/2 mile west of US Route 9W in Palisades. The hamlet's significant institutions include an IBM conference center, the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, and a well-regarded nursing home. It is the southernmost community in Rockland County. Sneden's Landing is mentioned in Alec Wilder's song, "Did You Ever Cross Over to Sneden's?", one of Mabel Mercer's signature pieces.