Course Length: 2 hrs. Student Contact

Certificate of Completion: Included

Course Overview

A major theory of liability used to try to impose civil liability on law enforcement staff and other employees of state and local government and even the agencies directly is civil rights liability brought pursuant to 42 USC 1983.  In this presentation, you will learn the history of this law and what a plaintiff must prove to win a case in court. We will be discussing the essential elements of these suits, how they can be used to sue supervisors, and indirectly involved staff and employers. We also discuss liability prevention and reduction and how to act as a government official while complying with constitutional requirements.

Learning objectives:

Upon the completion of this course you will learn:

1. What a plaintiff must prove to prevail in a civil suit for a claimed violation of constitutional rights.
2. How civil rights claims can be used to sue additional parties such as co-workers, supervisors, and employers.
3. Defenses such as qualified immunity and other defenses to reduce liability for civil rights violations and related state-based claims.