Civil Rights Litigation

  • Typically offered every other year

Civil Rights Litigation - Professor John Parry

  • Course Number: LAW-317
  • Course Type: Foundational
  • Credits: 3
  • Enrollment Limit: Determined by the Registrar
  • Description:  The primary focus of the course is 42 U.S.C. § 1983, which creates a cause of action against state actors who cause injuries through violations of “the Constitution and laws.” We will also discuss the Ex parte Young and Bivens doctrines, which are judge-made civil rights causes of action that also apply to federal actors. Along the way, we will discuss substantive claims, immunity defenses, remedies, and the relationship between § 1983 and criminal justice (including habeas corpus).

The class addresses litigation as well as doctrine, and we will work through several fact patterns that require us to apply the doctrines that we are studying.

  • Prerequisite: none
  • Evaluation Method: The grade will be based on two drafting exercises (a complaint and a motion to dismiss the complaint) as well as a final examination.
  • Capstone: no
  • WIE: no