Civil Rights Litigation

This course centers on causes of action that allow injured parties to sue government actors for violations of constitutional rights. The primary focus is 42 U.S.C. § 1983, but the course also considers related statutes, causes of action derived directly from the Constitution, and basic aspects of federal habeas corpus. Important themes and topics include federalism, sovereign immunity, individual immunities, municipal liability, the scope of the civil rights cause of action, and remedies (including the remedies associated with institutional reform litigation). The grade will be based on a mid-term, short paper (potentially expandable to a B paper), and two-hour final examination.