Municipal Liability
Lawyers at RRD have represented police, emergency services personnel, municipalities, town agencies and schools in over one-hundred lawsuits in the state and federal courts. With many claims calling for a sophisticated knowledge of constitutional law, municipal employer liability laws, school law and many federal anti-discrimination laws, RRD’s lawyers are well-equipped to defend its municipal clients. Our municipal clients often resist any attempts to settle cases because their integrity as police officers, municipal officials and school teachers is impugned. It is important, then, that we are able to offer them so many lawyers with extensive trial experience so that our clients know we are up to the task of defending them in court. That trial experience, however, is an advantage when negotiating settlements because our adversaries know we are not reluctant to try a case. The types of municipal liability cases we have handled include:
- Fourth Amendment excessive force claims against police;
- wrongful death claims against emergency services personnel;
- Equal Protection and Due Process constitutional law claims;
- Americans with Disabilities Act, racial discrimination, and other constitutional employment-related claims;
- school law claims involving the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act and Title IX claims alleging denial of access to a free, appropriate public education;
- state law false arrest and malicious prosecution claims against police;
- negligence claims against school coaches and athletic directors arising out of student-athlete injuries;
- zoning and land use law claims against municipalities, zoning boards and town officials; and
- premises liability (sidewalk and highway defect) claims.
