Business Details
28 Years
experience
Trusted Civil Rights Lawyers for Police and Jail Misconduct Cases
Founded in 1998, Budge & Heipt specializes in civil rights litigation focused on police brutality, jail/prison abuse, and wrongful death cases. We represent families nationwide, holding government entities and correctional corporations accountable through high-stakes trials and settlements. Our attorneys have secured over $170 million in verdicts and settlements, including landmark cases against correctional healthcare providers and law enforcement agencies.With decades of combined experience, we maintain a focused caseload to provide personalized attention while challenging systemic injustice. Our national practice spans federal courts in 15+ states, reflecting both our expertise and commitment to civil rights advocacy.
Services
Civil rights litigation
Wrongful death cases
Prison abuse claims
Excessive force lawsuits
Police misconduct representation
Details
- Year established: 1998
Highlights and features
- 30+ years of combined experience in civil rights litigation
- Secured $170+ million in police/jail misconduct verdicts/settlements
- Maintain focused caseload for personalized client representation
- National reach with federal court experience in 15+ states
- Specialize in complex corrections and law enforcement accountability
What people say
Millions recovered for victims
Dedicated courtroom advocates
National case experience
Consistently high settlements
Personalized representation
Services
Civil rights litigation
Specialized representation for constitutional violations by law enforcement and correctional institutions. Our attorneys have secured over $170 million in damages for victims of police brutality and jail abuse through landmark verdicts and settlements. We focus solely on civil rights cases nationwide.
Wrongful death cases
Advocacy for families losing loved ones due to correctional neglect or police misconduct. We've obtained record settlements including $26.75 million for jail death cases. Our approach combines compassionate representation with aggressive courtroom advocacy for systemic accountability.
Prison abuse claims
Legal action for physical/emotional harm from prison system failures. Our practice addresses medical neglect, excessive force, and unconstitutional conditions through federal litigation. We've secured millions in verdicts against state prison systems nationwide.
Excessive force lawsuits
Representation for victims of inappropriate law enforcement violence. We've recovered substantial damages including multiple $5-7 million settlements for police shootings and in-custody force incidents, focusing on systemic reform alongside individual justice.
Police misconduct representation
Comprehensive legal strategy for civil rights violations by law enforcement. The firm has handled complex cases across 15+ states, achieving record verdicts against municipal and county police departments for constitutional breaches during arrests and detentions.
People
Ed Budge
Attorney/Partner
30+ year trial attorney with record verdicts in jail abuse cases. Represented families in $26.75M jail death case and numerous high-profile police misconduct suits. Focuses on constitutional rights violations nationwide.
Erik J. Heipt
Attorney/Partner
Veteran litigator with 30 years of civil rights experience. Achieved multiple multi-million dollar settlements for prison abuse victims. Specializes in complex corrections system litigation and federal court representation nationwide.
Questions
What areas of law do you specialize in?
We focus exclusively on civil rights violations involving police brutality, jail/prison abuse, excessive force, and wrongful death claims against government entities.
Do you handle cases outside Washington state?
Yes, we handle federal civil rights cases in 15+ states including Texas, Wisconsin, Oregon, and Arizona through our national practice network.
What's your case selection process?
We maintain a focused caseload, accepting only select cases annually to ensure thorough preparation and personalized attention for each client.
How do you charge for legal services?
Most cases are handled on contingency with no upfront costs - we collect fees only through verdicts or settlements.
Can I discuss my case directly with attorneys?
Yes, initial consultations are conducted directly with our experienced trial attorneys, not paralegals or assistants.
What distinguishes your firm from others?
We combine decades of civil rights expertise with a proven trial record, having secured some of the nation's largest verdicts in corrections-related cases.
