Civil Rights Litigation Part IV: Civil Rights Claims & Defenses

In this course, the fourth of a multi-part series on litigating civil rights cases, Ameer Benno, a New York City-based civil rights attorney, reviews the elements of the most commonly raised claims and defenses in civil rights cases, in particular those brought under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. 

Learning Objectives:

I.     Understand the different constitutional claims that can be raised under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, including those brought under the First, Fourth, and Fourteenth Amendments

II.    Become familiar with various statutory civil rights claims, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and what will be required to prove them

III.   Identify defenses that are frequently raised in civil rights cases, including Qualified Immunity and collateral estoppel

IV.   Recognize the counterclaims that potentially can be brought by defendants in civil rights cases against the plaintiffs