South Carolina Section 1983 Civil Rights Attorneys

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When police officers, jailers, or other government officials violate your constitutional rights, you have the right to hold them accountable.

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Federal law - specifically 42 U.S.C. § 1983 - allows individuals to sue government officials who violate their constitutional rights while acting under color of law. These cases are different from typical personal injury claims: they involve government actors, constitutional protections, and specialized federal procedure. Cantwell Law Firm represents South Carolina residents whose rights were violated by law enforcement officers, correctional officers, and other government officials, and we handle these cases with the seriousness they deserve.​

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What Is a Section 1983 Claim?

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Section 1983 of the Civil Rights Act allows people to bring a civil lawsuit against a government official - most often a police officer, sheriff's deputy, or corrections officer - who violates their constitutional rights while performing their official duties. Unlike a typical negligence claim, a Section 1983 claim requires proving that a specific constitutional right was violated, not simply that someone was careless.

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Types of Cases We Handle

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Excessive Force Claims involving police officers or corrections officers who use force beyond what was reasonably necessary under the circumstances - including cases resulting in serious injury or death.

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Wrongful Death Involving Law Enforcement Cases where a death resulted from excessive force, failure to provide medical care, or other constitutional violations by government officials.

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False Arrest and Unlawful Detention Claims involving an arrest made without probable cause, or detention that continued beyond a lawful basis for holding someone.

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Unlawful Search and Seizure Cases involving searches of a person, vehicle, or home conducted without a valid warrant or a recognized legal exception, in violation of the Fourth Amendment.

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Deliberate Indifference to Medical Needs (Jail and Prison Cases) Claims on behalf of individuals in custody who were denied necessary medical care, resulting in serious injury or death - a violation of Eighth and Fourteenth Amendment protections.

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Malicious Prosecution Cases where criminal charges were pursued without probable cause and for an improper purpose, resulting in harm to the accused.

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First Amendment Retaliation Claims involving government officials who retaliate against someone for exercising their right to free speech, assembly, or to petition the government.