What Does It Mean to Be Exonerated?

Wrongful imprisonment is a fact of life in the American justice system. Research has uncovered some common causes of wrongful conviction. These causes include:

• Improper Forensics: Forensic science techniques that lack scientific validation or reliability.
• Eyewitness Misidentification: While eyewitness testimony is widely trusted in courtroom settings, the human memory is not infallible.
• False and coerced confessions
• Informants

If you are a victim of wrongful imprisonment, you may have a pathway to be exonerated.

What Is Exoneration?

Exoneration overturns the conviction and clears an innocent person of a crime they did not commit. It legally releases them from liability. It typically occurs when someone has been proven innocent after being found guilty.

This may happen when new technology tests old evidence and uncovers new information. New information may point to another liable party. It may also prove that the convicted individual could not have committed the crime. After exoneration, you have the right to pursue damages for the time you spent in prison.

What Are My Legal Options After Exoneration?

Depending on the facts of your case, you can sue for wrongful convictions under 42 U.S.C. Section 1983. Victims of government misconduct may have recourse through additional federal and state laws as well. The main purpose of civil rights laws are to protect citizens from governmental abuse.

After your conviction has been overturned, reach out to a wrongful conviction attorney who can explore possible constitutional violations of your civil rights.

How Our Civil Rights Attorneys Help After Exoneration

What happens after exoneration? Those who have been wrongfully convicted can often pursue compensation for damages.

Federal law outlines compensation requirements for those wrongfully convicted of federal crimes. Depending on the state in which a person lives and where the wrongful conviction occurred, an individual may be awarded up to $50,000 for each year of wrongful imprisonment in addition to potential compensation from a civil rights lawsuit. The federal statute offers additional compensation, up to $100,000, to people who spent time on death row.

Our civil rights attorneys understand that money cannot solve the losses you suffered while imprisoned. However, monetary compensation is the first step to securing justice for victims of the criminal justice system. We help hold responsible parties accountable on behalf of our clients nationwide.

Contact the Civil Rights Attorneys at Grant & Eisenhofer

If you have been exonerated, you need an attorney with a proven track record and the experience necessary to build the strongest possible case for you.

Our civil rights attorneys understand the myriad of reasons that wrongful convictions occur. We devote our careers to holding those accountable for violating your civil rights.