Written by Brian Murray

The Seventh Circuit today reaffirmed that local governments are responsible in s1983 suits only for their own illegal acts, not those of others which fall outside an official local-government policy.  Said the court:  “After Amanda Burger was fired from her job at the State’s Attorney’s Office in Macon County, Illinois, she sued the county for allegedly firing her in violation of her federal constitutional rights. The district court dismissed the case, concluding that Burger failed to state a federal claim against the county. Because the alleged illegal conduct was directed by an officer of the State of Illinois, and not Macon County, we affirm.”

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