Q: What kind of attorney do I need to persue a lawsuit against a county jail ASAP
My son (age 18)was beaten and humiliated by 5 inmates in our county jail over the weekend.(He is now released on unsecured bail) The guards let this go on for hours when they are supposed to check each block every half hour. I want to persue charges or a lawsuit for failing to protect him. Please help us!
A:
You'll want an attorney who does "1983" litigation -- which references the federal statute under which you'd file suit against the municipality/jail. You'll also be filing in federal court, so you'll want someone who's familiar with federal procedures. It's a very specific area of law, so you'll want to find someone who has specific experience with exactly this kind of litigation.
Your best bet is probably to look for someone in Harrisburg or Pittsburgh, even though that's a bit of a drive for you. In the meantime, make sure your son gets proper medical treatment so that his injuries are both documented and healed. Best of luck to you.
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