This course focuses on litigation under 42 U.S.C. 1983 - the principal vehicle for civil rights claims prosecuted in the federal courts. The primary emphasis of the course is on the practical and procedural aspects of civil rights litigation, including matters such as standing, immunities, various issues relating to pleading and proof, the availability and choice of remedies, and the recovery of attorneys' fees. The course is designed to give students the practical skills required to effectively litigate civil rights claims in the federal courts while providing insight into the larger jurisprudential debate that has shaped the law in this area.