View source for 42 U.S.C. § 1983

'''42 U.S.C. § 1983''', popularly known as "Section 1983," is a federal law that allows lawsuits for violations of constitutional rights.

Section 1983 establishes a cause of action for any person who has been deprived of rights secured by the Constitution or laws of the United States by a person acting under color of state law.  A plaintiff must prove that (1) that the conduct was committed by a person acting under color of state law and (2) that as a result of this conduct plaintiff was deprived of rights, privileges or immunities secured by the Constitution or the laws of the United States. 

The first requirement is known as the [[state action]] requirement.  Plaintiff must prove that conduct was "fairly attributable to the state," and attribution is limited because it "preserves an area of individual freedom by limiting the reach of federal law and federal judicial powers." ''Lugar v. Edmondson Oil Co., Inc.'', 457 U.S. 922, 936 (1982).

In ''Monell v. Department of Social Services'', the [[U.S. Supreme Court]] held that municipalities and local governments can be sued if the action was attributable to an official policy.  They do not enjoy absolute immunity.  But the defendant municipal officials must have had "final policymaking authority" to bind the municipality. 

The Eleventh Amendment prohibits Section 1983 claims against states and therefore state officials.

== Statutory Language ==

42 U.S.C. §1983 authorizes lawsuits against state officials, local officials, and sometimes local governments for violating federal constitutional and statutory rights. The text of the statute is as follows:

:Every person who, under color of any statute, ordinance, regulation, custom, or usage, of any State or Territory or the District of Columbia, subjects, or causes to be subjected, any citizen of the United States or other person within the jurisdiction thereof to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the Constitution and laws, shall be liable to the party injured in an action at law, suit in equity, or other proper proceeding for redress ....

== Elements ==

A cause of action under Section 1983 requires four elements:
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1. conduct by a "person"
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2. who acted under "color of law"
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3. and proximately caused
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4. a deprivation of federally protected rights.

== Defenses ==

A defendant in a Section 1983 case can assert all the defenses available under [[tort]] law.  In addition, a defendant can assert common law defenses of absolute or qualified immunity.  The defense of absolute immunity is available to judges, prosecutors, legislators and witnesses.  The defense of qualified immunity is available to executive and administrative officials.

[[Category:United States law]]
[[category:United States Supreme Court Cases]]