42 USC 1983: Deprivation of Rights

42 USC 1983: Civil action for deprivation of rightsText contains those laws in effect on August 31, 2026

§1983. Civil action for deprivation of rights

Every person who, under color of any statute, ordinance, regulation, custom, or usage, of any State or Territory or the District of Columbia, subjects, or causes to be subjected, any citizen of the United States or other person within the jurisdiction thereof to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the Constitution and laws, shall be liable to the party injured in an action at law, suit in equity, or other proper proceeding for redress, except that in any action brought against a judicial officer for an act or omission taken in such officer’s judicial capacity, injunctive relief shall not be granted unless a declaratory decree was violated or declaratory relief was unavailable.

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Bring A Lawsuit Against Chester County, Pennsylvania

To sue Chester County or a local government employee (such as a sheriff, police officer, or municipal official) for a deprivation of civil rights “under color of law,” you must file a lawsuit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. While § 1983 is a federal statute, these cases can be heard in either federal or state court, though they are most commonly litigated in federal district court.  Below is the step-by-step process for filing a Section 1983 claim in the context of Chester County, Pennsylvania.  

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