King County Law Library

The American Civil Liberties Union was founded in 1920 and is our nation’s guardian of liberty.  The ACLU has staff working in the courts, legislatures and communities across the country to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to all people in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States. The ACLU is a nationwide organization with headquarters in New York, a legislative office in Washington DC, and affiliate offices in every state. The ACLU of Washington is among the strongest affiliates in the country working to defend and extend civil liberties for everyone in our state. https://www.aclu-wa.org/ (206) 624-2184

Established in 1977, Alliance of People with disAbilities is located in King County, Washington, with three independent living centers located in Seattle, Redmond, and Auburn. The Alliance works hard to make our community more accessible, inclusive, and usable for everyone. http://disabilitypride.org/ (206) 545-7055

Benefits Law Center provides accessible legal advocacy to people living with physical and mental disabilities so that they may obtain the resources necessary to overcome barriers to financial and medical stability. https://benefitslawcenter.org/ (206) 686-7252

Disability Rights Washington is a private non-profit organization that protects the rights of people with disabilities statewide. Our mission is to advance the dignity, equality, and self-determination of people with disabilities. We work to pursue justice on matters related to human and legal rights. https://www.disabilityrightswa.org/ (800) 562-2702

The mission of the Fair Housing Center of Washington is to assure equal access to housing and other related services to the residents of Washington. The organization will achieve this purpose through education, investigation, and enforcement of applicable laws.

fhcwashington.org

(253) 274-9523

The Office of Equity and Social Justice, Civil Rights Program has authority to handle discrimination complaints ONLY FOR King County government and for employers, housing providers, and businesses in the UNINCORPORATED parts of King County (outside the cities). https://www.kingcounty.gov/elected/executive/equity-social-justice/civil-rights.aspx 206-263-2446

The Mission of Lifetime Advocacy Plus [LA+] is to enhance the lives and protect the rights of people with disabilities, through personal attention; advocacy; guardianship; and trust and financial management. https://www.laplus.org/ (206) 367-8055

Founded in 1909 in response to the ongoing violence against Black people around the country, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) is the largest and most pre-eminent civil rights organization in the nation. We have over 2,200 units and branches across the nation, along with well over 2M activists. Our mission is to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons. https://naacp.org/ (410) 580-5777

• Every 1st & 3rd Thursday of every month from 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm at the United States Courthouse: 700 Stewart Street, Suite 2310 (Ground Floor), Seattle, WA 98101
• Appointment required; call (206) 267-7070 from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm, Tuesday – Thursday
• Free 30-minute meeting
• Focused on civil rights questions. The Neighborhood Legal Clinics service King County residents or clients with legal issues in King County.
• Sponsored by the King County Bar Association,

http://www.kcba.org/pbs/NLC.aspx (206) 267-7070

The Seattle Office for Civil Rights (SOCR) works to ensure that everyone in Seattle has equal access to housing, employment, public accommodations, and contracting. SOCR investigates and enforces City, State, and Federal anti-discrimination laws, and provides public policy recommendations to the Mayor, City Council, and other City departments. The Office develops and implements policies and programs promoting fairness, equity, and diversity. It also administers the Title VI program of the 1964 Federal Civil Rights Act, and Title II of the federal ADA Act. http://www.seattle.gov/civilrights (206) 684-4500

“Section 1983” refers to 42 U.S.C. §1983, the federal statute that enables you to file a civil action for deprivation of constitutional and federal statutory rights by persons acting under “color of law.” Originally enacted in 1871, Section 1983 litigation experienced a period of dormancy, until 1961 and the landmark Supreme Court case, Monroe v. Pape, 365 U.S. 167 (1961), which gave private litigants a federal court remedy as a first resort rather than only in default of (or after) state action.  Today, Section 1983 actions most commonly involve 1st Amendment issues like freedom of speech; 4th Amendment issues like search and seizure or use of force; 8th Amendment issues like cruel and unusual punishment; and 14th Amendment claims of due process violations.   http://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/uploads/guides/Section_1983_Outline_2012.pdf  

Section 1983 Litigation (Third Edition) analyzes the large number of recurring issues that arise in litigation under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. This monograph contains new sections on discovery, Bivens claims, new material on stops and searches, and model jury instructions. It includes case law from the October 2013 Supreme Court term ending June 30, 2014, and major courts of appeals and select district court decisions reported through June 30, 2014. https://www.fjc.gov/content/section-1983-litigation-third-edition

The Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, created in 1957 by the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1957, works to uphold the civil and constitutional rights of all Americans, particularly some of the most vulnerable members of our society. The Division enforces federal statutes prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, disability, religion, familial status and national origin.   https://www.justice.gov/crt  

The mission of the Washington State Human Rights Commission is to prevent and eliminate discrimination through the fair application of the law, the efficient use of resources, and the establishment of productive partnerships in the community. https://www.hum.wa.gov/  1 (800) 233-3247

HUD is working to strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect consumers; meet the need for quality affordable rental homes; utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life; build inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination; and transform the way the Department does business. https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp/online-complaint 1 (800) 669-9777

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of the person’s race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, transgender status, and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information.

Most employers with at least 15 employees are covered by EEOC laws (20 employees in age discrimination cases). Most labor unions and employment agencies are also covered.

The laws apply to all types of work situations, including hiring, firing, promotions, harassment, training, wages, and benefits

https://www.eeoc.gov/

1 (800) 669-4000