Section 1983 Litigation & Practice - 2251

  This is a course in advanced constitutional rights litigation brought pursuant to 42 USC §1983-- the federal statute which puts constitutional rights in action. It focuses on the means by which constitutional rights claims are actually litigated in lawsuits against public officials and local governments. Topics will include what it means to act "under color of state law;" absolute and qualified immunities; government liability for the acts of individual officials; remedies for constitutional violations, including monetary and injunctive relief; structural reform litigation; and the award of attorney's fees. The objective of the course is to provide students with the threshold substantive knowledge—— to be able to bring or defend a § 1983 case--- with the presentation facilitated by using “real-life cases” actually litigated by the instructors-- who between them have over 80 years of combined §1983 federal court trial and appellate   litigation experience; and—who accordingly--expect to provide practical insights into how §1983 cases are litigated.