The RegistryCounty Record · California
Civil Rights Attorneys in Contra Costa County, California
Counsel when the state or an institution crosses the line. In Contra Costa County, that work runs through the Superior Court of California, County of Contra Costa. This directory presents civil rights records from official State Bar of California data in neutral order.
An East Bay county of more than a million residents stretching from the Carquinez Strait refineries to the Highway 4 and 680 suburbs; the Wakefield Taylor Courthouse in Martinez anchors its civil calendars. Venue for most civil rights matters arising in the county lies with the Superior Court of California, County of Contra Costa, seated at Martinez.
The law also keeps time: section 1983 claims borrow California's two-year personal injury period under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 / Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1. Claims against California public entities under state law require a government claim within six months (Cal. Gov. Code § 911.2). Bane Act and Unruh Act claims follow their underlying tort periods. The plaque below carries the citation; the roster that follows carries the rest.
This page is the Contra Costa County chapter of the registry's statewide record — Civil Rights Lawyers in California collects all 58 counties.
The clock & the court
Section 1983 claims borrow California's two-year personal injury period.
42 U.S.C. § 1983 / Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1
Claims against California public entities under state law require a government claim within six months (Cal. Gov. Code § 911.2). Bane Act and Unruh Act claims follow their underlying tort periods.
Superior Court of California, County of Contra Costa.
County seat: Martinez
Official court information, locations, and filing rules: contracosta.courts.ca.gov
Civil Rights · Contra Costa County roster
85 attorneys on the official State Bar of California roll list civil rights among their practice areas with an address of record in Contra Costa County.
77 of them hold an active licence; the remainder are recorded as inactive and are not currently eligible to practise.
The roster concentrates in Walnut Creek (38), Concord (8), San Ramon (6) and Richmond (5).
2 hold a State Bar Certified Legal Specialist designation — a certification issued by the State Bar's Board of Legal Specialization, and not a rating or a ranking.
9 are recorded as taking client work in a language other than English.
Admission years on this roster run from 1966 to 2025.
The employers most represented here are Arias Sanguinetti Wang & Team LLP (3) and Milanfar Law Firm (2).
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Civil Rights questions, cited
How long do I have to sue for police misconduct in California?
Federal civil rights claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 borrow California's two-year personal injury statute (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1), running from the violation. But parallel state-law claims against an officer's employing agency require a written government claim within six months under Cal. Gov. Code § 911.2 — the deadline that catches most people off guard.
What is the Bane Act?
Cal. Civ. Code § 52.1 — California's civil rights enforcement statute. It creates a claim against anyone who interferes, or attempts to interfere, by threat, intimidation, or coercion with rights secured by federal or state law. It is frequently pleaded alongside § 1983 in excessive-force cases because it authorizes actual damages, a statutory minimum, treble damages, and attorney fees, and reaches state actors without federal qualified-immunity doctrine.
What does the Unruh Civil Rights Act protect?
Full and equal access to the services of every business establishment in California, regardless of sex, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, disability, medical condition, and other protected characteristics (Cal. Civ. Code § 51). Violations carry a statutory minimum of $4,000 per offense plus attorney fees (Civ. Code § 52), and every ADA access violation is automatically an Unruh violation (Civ. Code § 51(f)).
Can I sue a city or county in California?
Yes, but state-law claims require presenting a written claim to the entity within six months of the injury (Cal. Gov. Code § 911.2); suit follows only after rejection, within the time stated in Gov. Code § 945.6. Federal § 1983 claims are exempt from the claim requirement, but municipal liability demands proof of an official policy or custom under Monell v. Dept. of Social Services (1978) 436 U.S. 658.
What counts as housing discrimination in California?
Refusing to rent or sell, imposing different terms, or making housing unavailable based on protected characteristics — including source of income such as Section 8 vouchers — violates the Fair Employment and Housing Act (Cal. Gov. Code § 12955) and the federal Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. § 3604). Complaints may be filed with the California Civil Rights Department or pursued directly in court.
Legal information, not legal advice.
From the answer files
Related counsel in Contra Costa County
Civil Rights in nearby counties
Source: 42 U.S.C. § 1983 / Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1 · State Bar of California licensee records · Checked: · Maintained by the California Attorney Registry from official State Bar of California records. Legal information, not legal advice.
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