← Legal Glossary
Section 1983
Definition
A federal statute (42 U.S.C. § 1983) that allows individuals to sue state officials who violate their federal constitutional or statutory rights while acting 'under color of state law.' It is the primary vehicle for enforcing civil rights against state actors and routinely permits damages suits against individual officials.
Examples
- •Prison officials routinely face Section 1983 suits for constitutional violations; petitioner argues RLUIPA provides an analogous but express cause of action.