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.
Sheridan is a city in Yamhill County, Oregon, United States. Platted in the 1860s when it received a post office, the city was incorporated in 1880. A major fire burned much of the city in 1913, and a flood covered much of the city in 1964. Located in the western part of the Willamette Valley along the South Yamhill River, the city is at the base of the Northern Oregon Coast Range west of the county seat of McMinnville along Oregon Route 18. This highway, along with Oregon Route 18 Business that connects west to neighboring Willamina, both run east-west through Sheridan along with the river, with Sheridan Bridge the only bridge crossing the river in town. The population of the city was 3,570 at the 2000 census, and the 2008 estimate is 6,020 residents. This farming and timber community's largest employer is FCI - Sheridan, a federal minimum and medium security prison. The city has a mayor-council form of government, with daily operations run by a city manager. The community has its own school district, with a single traditional high school. The main events each year in town are Phil Sheridan Days and the Mud Drags, both held in June. Sheridan was named in honor of the American Civil War general Philip Henry Sheridan.