Charlottesville is an independent city geographically located in Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom. The population was 40,745 according to the 2004 estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau. It is the county seat of Albemarle County though the two are separate legal entities. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Charlottesville with Albemarle County for statistical purposes, bringing the total population to 118,398. The city is the heart of the Charlottesville metropolitan area which includes Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene and Nelson counties. In 2004, Charlottesville was ranked the best place to live in the United States in the book Cities Ranked and Rated by Bert Sperling and Peter Sander. Sperling and Sander ranked the cities based on cost of living, climate, and quality of life. Charlottesville is best known as the home to three U.S. Presidents, as well as the home of the University of Virginia, which, along with Monticello is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city is also known for Jefferson's Monticello, his renowned mountain-top home which attracts approximately half a million tourists every year.

What is sexual harassment law?

Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination. Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitutes sexual harassment when submission to or rejection of this conduct explicitly or implicitly affects an employment, unreasonably interferes with an work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment. Lawyers who handle sexual harassment cases represent individuals -- usually employees or students -- who have been victimized by unwanted verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, or subjected to sexually offensive behavior that creates an unfavorable environment. Sexual harassment attorneys may also represent employers, school districts, and businesses that are named defendants in sexual harassment lawsuits.

Answers to sexual harassment law issues in Virginia

In certain kinds of cases, lawyers charge what is called a contingency fee. Instead of billing by the hour, the...