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Webinar

2020 Lunch Break Legal Basics: 42 U.S.C. § 1983 - How to Protect Civil Liberties in the Midst of a Pandemic


Total Credits: 1.0 MCLE, 1.0 Kansas Credit


Dates


Description

42 U.S.C. § 1983 is a federal statute and part of the Civil Rights Act of 1871. Section 1983 holds state and local government officials liable for money damages in federal court if they have violated citizens’ constitutionally protected civil liberties.

This program will provide you with a historically-contextualized understanding of Section 1983; a rudimentary roadmap of its elements; and explore the scope of the statute’s application by addressing the question: Can governments and state actors who impose COVID-19 related regulations be sued for “going too far” in restricting commerce and civil liberties?

To address this inquiry, the speaker will:

1. Draw upon the current reality U.S. citizens are experiencing as the nation endures yet another month in a perilous, persistent pandemic as the factual basis contextualizing the statute’s application.

2. Discuss relevant principles of federalism and constitutional law commonly implicated in 1983 analyses and;

3. Highlight the balancing act state and local governments must perform in times of public emergency to take measured action that adequately protects public health and safety while being mindful not to bring about broad deprivations of civil liberties or cause undo damage to the national commercial market.

Speaker: Bria L. Davis, Attorney at Law
Moderator: Shatrasha L. StoneBaker Sterchi Cowden & Rice LLC, St. Louis

Materials

Cancellation Policy

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