42 U.S.C. § 1983 is the primary federal statute that allows individuals to act as private attorney generals in bringing civil prosecutions against government actors for violations of the United States Constitution and other federal laws – civil rights lawsuits. In this seminar, we will examine selected topics in the litigation of civil rights. While some of the material will be covered in the typical form of a broad survey, we will also undertake a detailed examination of an actual civil rights lawsuit as a vehicle for understanding the doctrines and practice problems arising in civil rights litigation. The lawsuit involves a plaintiff who alleges that he was wrongfully convicted of murder due to police misconduct. Students will be responsible for a variety of legal tasks relating to the plaintiff’s case, including drafting his complaint, drafting and taking discovery, and responding to a motion for summary judgment. Grading for this course will be based on class participation and on the required written submissions.
A student who fails to attend the initial meeting of a seminar (designated by an (S) in the title), or to obtain permission to be absent from either the instructor or the Registrar, may be administratively dropped from the seminar. Students who are on a wait list for a seminar are required to attend the first seminar meeting to be considered for enrollment.
