Marshall v. Lonberger, 454 U.S. 1141 (1982). · Go Syfert
Marshall v. Lonberger, 454 U.S. 1141 (1982). Cases Citing This Book View Copy Cite
“a private attorney who is retained to represent a criminal defendant is not acting under color of state law, and therefore is not amenable to suit under 1983.”
89 citation events (9 in the last 25 years) across 23 distinct courts.
Negative lean: 5th  ·  Positive lean: 4th, 9th
Strongest positive: Ross Matthew Cataffo v. Jackson County Police Department, et al. (wvsd, 2026-01-21) · Strongest negative: Benham v. Edwards (ca5, 1982-05-27)
Treatment trajectory · 1982 → 2026 · click a year to view as-of
1982 2004 2026
Top citers, strongest first. 12 distinct citers. How cited ↗
discussed Cited "but see" Benham v. Edwards (2×)
5th Cir. · 1982 · signal: but see · confidence high
But see Jones v. United States, 432 A.2d 364, 371, 373-74 (D.C.App.1981) (en banc), cert, granted,-U.S.-, 102 S.Ct. 999 , 71 L.Ed.2d 292 (1982) (ipse dixit assertion that presumption of continuing dangerousness and mental illness “is both reasonable and valid.”). .
discussed Cited "but see" Benham v. Edwards (2×) also: Cited "see"
5th Cir. · 1982 · signal: but see · confidence high
But see Jones v. United States, 432 A.2d 364, 376 (D.C.1981) (en banc), cert. granted, --- U.S. ----, 102 S.Ct. 999 , 71 L.Ed.2d 292 (1982) (rejecting this reasoning in Brown and Waite and holding that confinement of an insanity acquittee under the D.C.Code is not based on any punitive considerations).
discussed Cited as authority (quoted) Ross Matthew Cataffo v. Jackson County Police Department, et al.
S.D.W. Va · 2026 · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence low
a private attorney who is retained to represent a criminal defendant is not acting under color of state law, and therefore is not amenable to suit under 1983.
discussed Cited "see" Bingham v. Shaw
E.D. Va. · 2025 · signal: see · confidence high
See Ward v. Ghee, 8 F.3d 823 , 1993 WL 410357, at *1 (4th Cir. 1993) (“Defense attorneys do not act ‘under color of’ state law and are, therefore, not amenable to suit under § 1983, whether privately retained, Deas v. Potts, 547 F.2d 800 (4th Cir. 1976), appointed by the state, Hall v. Quillen, 631 F.2d 1154, 1155-56 (4th Cir. 1980), cert. denied, 454 U.S. 1141 (1982), or employed as public defenders, Polk County v .
discussed Cited "see" Bingham v. Churchill
E.D. Va. · 2025 · signal: see · confidence high
See Ward v. Ghee, 8 F.3d 823 , 1993 WL 410357, at *1 (4th Cir. 1993) (“Defense attorneys do not act ‘under color of” state law and are, therefore, not amenable to suit under § 1983, whether privately retained, Deas v. Potts, 547 F.2d 800 (4th Cir. 1976), appointed by the state, Hall v. Quillen, 631 F.2d 1154, 1155-56 (4th Cir. 1980), cert. denied, 454 U.S. 1141 (1982), or employed as public defenders, Polk County v. Dodson, 454 U.S. 312, 325 (1981)”).
discussed Cited "see" Wagstaff-El v. Ruppersberg
4th Cir. · 1987 · signal: see · confidence high
See Hall v. Quillen, 631 F.2d 1154 (4th Cir.1980), cert. denied, 454 U.S. 1141 (1982) (court-appointed counsel's representation is not state action); Lugar v. Edmonson Oil Co., Inc., 457 U.S. 922 (1982) (to fulfill state action requirement, deprivation must result from exercise of right or privilege created by state, and actor's behavior must be attributable to state); cf. Dennis v. Sparks, 449 U.S. 24 (1980) (private defendant acts under color of state law if he acts jointly with state).
cited Cited "see" In Re the Personal Restraint of Kolocotronis
Wash. · 1983 · signal: see · confidence high
See generally Jones v. United States, 432 A.2d 364 (D.C. 1981), cert. granted, 454 U.S. 1141 (1982). *156 Also, petitioner incorrectly identifies the group to which he is similarly situated.
discussed Cited "see" Billy Irl Glover v. Bruce Tower, Public Defender of Douglas County, Oregon and Gary Babcock, Public Defender of the State of Oregon
9th Cir. · 1983 · signal: see · confidence high
See Hall v. Quillen, 631 F.2d 1154 (4th Cir.1980) (Ferri casts considerable doubt on the continuing validity of Minns), cert. denied, 454 U.S. 1141 , 102 S.Ct. 999 , 71 L.Ed.2d 293 (1982); White v. Bloom, 621 F.2d 276, 280 (8th Cir.1980) (public defenders subject to suit under section 1983), cert. denied, 449 U.S. 995 , 101 S.Ct. 533 , 66 L.Ed.2d 292 (1980), 449 U.S. 1089 , 101 S.Ct. 882 , 66 L.Ed.2d 816 (1981).
discussed Cited "see" In Re Corrugated Container Antitrust Litigation. Anchor Hocking Corporation
5th Cir. · 1982 · signal: see · confidence high
See In re Corrugated Container Antitrust Litigation, Appeal of John Conboy, 661 F.2d 1145 (7th Cir. 1981) (en banc), cert. granted sub nom., Pillsbury Co. v. Conboy, --- U.S. ----, 102 S.Ct. 998 , 71 L.Ed.2d 292 (1982)
discussed Cited "see" Anchor Hocking Corp. v. St. Joe Container Co. (2×)
5th Cir. · 1982 · signal: see · confidence high
See In re Corrugated Container Antitrust Litigation, Appeal of John Conboy, 661 F.2d 1145 (7th Cir. 1981) (en banc), cert. granted sub nom., Pillsbury Co. v. Conboy, 454 U.S. 1141 , 102 S.Ct. 998 , 71 L.Ed.2d 292 (1982).
discussed Cited "see, e.g." Thomas P. Budnick v. Barnstable County Bar Advocates, Inc.
1st Cir. · 1993 · signal: compare · confidence low
Compare Watterson v. Page, No. 92-1224, 1993 WL 23908, at * 5 (1st Cir. Feb. 9, 1993) (assuming, without deciding, that a state court order referring child for counseling to private psychologists provided a sufficient basis for the psychologists to be acting under color of state law) with Hall v. Quillen, 631 F.2d 1154 (4th Cir. 1980) (holding that a court-appointed physician examining a plaintiff in connection with a court-ordered involuntary commitment to a state hospital is not acting under color of state law for purposes of § 1983 liability), cert. denied, 454 U.S. 1141 (1982).
discussed Cited "see, e.g." Solinger v. a & M RECORDS, INC.
N.D. Cal. · 1982 · signal: see also · confidence low
S. Crocker Co., 670 F.2d 1378 (9th Cir. 1982); see also California State Council of Carpenters v. Associated General Contractors, 648 F.2d 527 , 538 n.18 (9th Cir. 1980), cert. granted, - U.S. -, 102 S.Ct. 998 , 71 L.Ed.2d 292 (1982) (dictum).
Retrieving the full opinion text from the archive…
Marshall, Superintendent, Southern Ohio Correctional Facility
v.
Lonberger
No. 81-420.
Supreme Court of the United States.
Jan 11, 1982.
454 U.S. 1141
Cited by 13 opinions  |  Published

C. A. 6th Cir. Motion of respondent for leave to proceed in forma pauperis and certiorari granted.