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.
Elizabeth is a town in Wirt County, West Virginia along the Little Kanawha River. The population was 994 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Wirt County. The townsite of Elizabeth was settled by William Beauchamp in 1796, and was known as "Beauchamp's Mills" until 1817, when it was named for Elizabeth Woodyard, the wife of David Beauchamp. Elizabeth was chartered by the Virginia General Assembly in 1822.