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“Civil rights” are the rights of personal liberty guaranteed to every
U. S. citizen, regardless of race, religion, sex, age or disabilities. The
underlying principle is that no one should be punished for the
circumstances into which they were born.
But you can still be treated unfairly for any number of reasons, as
long as it doesn’t involve your civil rights and liberties. For instance,
you can be discriminated against because of your eye color or the way you
part your hair. It’s only discrimination if you have one of the
characteristics (like race, religion, sex, age or disabilities) the law
protects.
Legal services aren't cheap, how much are you willing to spend? What
are typical fee arrangements for legal services? How much can you expect
to pay? What about expenses and court costs? How can you keep track of
fees for legal services? What about free or low-cost legal services? What
should you do if you are charged with a crime but can't afford a lawyer?
When you're shopping for legal services, always ask potential attorneys to
fully explain their fees and billing practices. Don't hesitate to ask
detailed questions and don't be embarrassed. A lawyer's willingness to
discuss fees is an important indicator of how he or she treats clients.
The more detailed aspects of a lawyer’s job depend upon his or her
field of specialization and position. Although all lawyers are licensed to
represent parties in court, some appear in court more frequently than
others. Trial lawyers, who specialize in trial work, must be able to think
quickly and speak with ease and authority. In addition, familiarity with
courtroom rules and strategy is particularly important in trial work.
Still, trial lawyers spend the majority of their time outside the
courtroom, conducting research, interviewing clients and witnesses, and
handling other details in preparation for trial.
What are typical fee arrangements?
Standard payment arrangements an attorney may suggest include:
- Hourly rates
- Flat fees
- Retainers
- Contingent fees
Hourly rates are the most common arrangement. Here, the attorney gets
paid an agreed-upon hourly rate for the hours he or she works on a
client's case or matter until it's resolved.
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy law is federal statutory law contained in Title 11 of the United States Code. (http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/11/) Congress passed the Bankruptcy Code under its Constitutional grant of authority to "establish. . . uniform laws on the subject of Bankruptcy throughout the United States." See U.S. Constitution Article I, Section 8. (http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.articlei.html#section8) States may not regulate bankruptcy though they may pass laws that govern other aspects of the debtor-creditor relationship. See Debtor-Creditor (http://www.law.cornell.edu/ topics/debtor_creditor.html). A number of sections of Title 11 incorporate the debtor-creditor law of the individual states.
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