According to research from the federal Judicial Branch, 35,307 civil rights cases were filed in federal courts in 2013. This represents a 27% increase over the last two decades, but a decline from the high of 43,278 cases filed in 1997. The research shows that filings began to increase after the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 became law. They increased more dramatically after the federal Civil Rights Act of 1991 became law, reached a high in 1997, and have declined some since then.
The highest percentage of 2013 claims (38%) relate to employment.
For more information, see:
• an infographic on case filings: http://news.uscourts.gov/over-two-decades-civil-rights-cases-rise-27-percent
• data on all types of federal court filings over time: http://www.uscourts.gov/uscourts/Statistics/JudicialBusiness/2013/appendices/C02ASep13.pdf
