Excessive force, wrongful arrest, and deaths in custody. When government power is abused in Memphis, Wells & Associates takes the case to federal court.
Quick Answer
Civil rights claims against police and jails are brought under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, and in Tennessee they generally carry a one-year filing deadline borrowed from Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-104. Wells & Associates has litigated nationally covered civil rights cases and currently represents families in Shelby County Jail wrongful death litigation. Call 901-808-0000 for a free, confidential consultation.
The Constitution limits what police officers and jailers can do to the people they arrest and detain. When those limits are crossed, 42 U.S.C. § 1983 gives the victim, or the family of a person who did not survive, a federal cause of action against the officers and, in some circumstances, the city or county itself.
In the Memphis area, the most common defendants in these cases are the Memphis Police Department and the Shelby County Sheriff's Office, which operates the Shelby County Jail. Wells & Associates has litigated excessive force, wrongful arrest, and in-custody death cases against both, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee.
A central focus of the firm's current civil rights work is jail medical care and in-custody deaths. Murray Wells currently represents families in Shelby County Jail wrongful death litigation, including a federal suit filed in March 2026 on behalf of the widow of an inmate who died in custody. The case has been covered by FOX13 Memphis and The Daily Memphian.
The firm's civil rights work has drawn national attention before. Murray Wells represented the family of Ismael Lopez, killed by Southaven police at the wrong address, in a case covered by CNN, the Washington Post, and Fox News, and the estate of Duanna Johnson, beaten by Memphis police officers on camera. That track record matters: cities and counties defend these cases hard, and they take a firm seriously when it has been to the mat before.
Jails must provide medical care to the people they hold. When someone dies in the Shelby County Jail because obvious medical needs were ignored, the family may have both a federal civil rights claim and a Tennessee wrongful death claim. This is a core focus of the firm's current litigation.
Officers may use only the force that is reasonable in the circumstances. Beatings, unjustified shootings, and abusive arrests by Memphis Police Department or Shelby County Sheriff's Office personnel can support a § 1983 claim against the officers involved.
Arrests without probable cause, planted evidence, and malicious prosecution destroy jobs, families, and reputations. The firm pursues these claims in federal court and, where appropriate, coordinates with criminal defense counsel to clear the underlying charges first.
Section 1983 cases are usually filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee, in the federal courthouse downtown. They move differently from ordinary injury cases: the defendants typically assert qualified immunity, discovery fights are common, and video, jail records, and autopsy findings often decide the outcome. Preserving that evidence immediately, before recordings are overwritten, is one of the first steps the firm takes.
Deadlines are short. Because § 1983 borrows the state personal injury limitations period, Tennessee civil rights claims generally must be filed within one year under Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-104. If a loved one has died in custody or been seriously hurt by police, the time to involve a lawyer is now, not after the internal investigation concludes.
§1983 Wrongful Death · National Coverage
Wrongful-death civil rights action against Mississippi police for the fatal shooting of Ismael Lopez at the wrong address. Covered extensively by CNN, Washington Post, and Fox News.
Police Brutality · Civil Rights
Civil rights action on behalf of the estate of Duanna Johnson following a beating by Memphis Police Department officers captured on video.
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Each case is unique.
We take civil rights cases on contingency. You pay nothing upfront and nothing at all if we do not win. We advance all costs and fees, so you can focus on recovery while we handle the legal fight.
Get Your Free Case Review →Yes, in appropriate cases. A death in the Shelby County Jail caused by denied or delayed medical care, excessive force, or deliberate indifference can support a federal civil rights claim under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 along with a Tennessee wrongful death claim. Murray Wells currently represents families in Shelby County Jail wrongful death litigation. Call 901-808-0000 for a free, confidential review.
Officers who use unreasonable force can be sued under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, and the city can be liable in some circumstances involving its policies or training. These cases are fact-intensive and depend heavily on video, witness testimony, and medical records, so early investigation matters.
Generally one year. Section 1983 borrows the state personal injury statute of limitations, which in Tennessee is one year under Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-104. Waiting for an internal affairs investigation to finish can cost you the claim, so speak with an attorney promptly.
Section 1983 is the federal statute that lets a person sue state and local officials, including police officers and jailers, who violate their constitutional rights while acting under color of law. It is the primary tool for police misconduct, jail death, and wrongful arrest cases in Memphis.
Wells & Associates handles civil rights cases on contingency: no fee unless the firm recovers for you. The consultation is free and confidential, at 901-808-0000.
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