What is a common goal of civil rights lawsuits against officers?

A common goal of civil rights lawsuits against officers is to obtain damages from responsible officers. When individuals file these lawsuits, they often seek financial compensation for harm or injury that they believe was caused by unlawful actions of law enforcement personnel. This goal addresses accountability, allowing victims to seek reparations for violations of their rights, including wrongful arrest, excessive force, or discrimination.

While changing organizational policies is sometimes a result of these lawsuits, that's not the primary goal for most plaintiffs. Generating public awareness is certainly a consequence that can emerge, as civil rights cases often attract media attention, but it typically is not the main motive for the suit. Similarly, eliminating nepotism, while a concern in some contexts, does not directly relate to the core purpose of civil rights lawsuits, which focuses more on the accountability and reparation aspects rather than personnel management practices within the department.