Provides the principal federal cause of action for individuals to sue state and local government officials for violations of constitutional rights "under color of" state law. Codified at 42 U.S.C. § 1983.
Civil Rights Act of 1871 / Section 1983 (Ku Klux Klan Act)
In forceCodified at42 U.S.C. § 1983
Enacted April 20, 1871 · ch. 22, 17 Stat. 13