Supreme Court of the United States
Maine v. Thiboutot
June 25, 1980448 U.S. 1
Summary
The Court held that 42 U.S.C. § 1983 authorizes actions alleging deprivation of rights secured by federal statutes, not only constitutional or equal-rights laws. Because the respondents' claim under the Social Security Act was properly brought under § 1983, § 1988 authorized an award of attorney's fees, including in a state-court action. The judgment was affirmed.
Holding
- Whether § 1983 reaches purely statutory violations of federal law. The phrase "and laws" in § 1983 includes rights secured by federal statutes, so § 1983 provides a cause of action for the respondents' claim that Maine violated the Social Security Act.
- Whether § 1988 authorizes attorney's fees for a statutory § 1983 claim brought in state court. Section 1988 authorizes a discretionary award of reasonable attorney's fees in any action brought to enforce § 1983, including an action asserting a federal statutory violation and litigated in state court.
Docket 79-838
Cited authorities
- 42 U.S.C. §§ 1983
- 42 U.S.C. § 602
- 42 U.S.C. § 602
- 90 Stat. 2641
- 42 U.S.C. § 1988
- 28 U.S.C. § 1443
- 17 Stat. 13
- 28 U.S.C. § 1343