Statute treatment: 12 U.S.C. § 1983

Ranked leading cases interpreting this statute, drawn from 229 citation events across 220 distinct cases.

229citations total

220distinct interpreting cases

61distinct courts

73citations in last 5y

1971–2025year range

Top 20 leading cases

#1 James A. Watson v. Dr. Allen L. Ault, William Purdue v. Dr. Allen L. Ault, Director, William A. Durham v. Oree Thompson (1976) ca5 267 own cites 1× in case

#2 Safe Streets Alliance v. Hickenlooper (2017) ca10 235 own cites 1× in case

#3 DeBellis v. Kulp (2001) paed 46 own cites 2× in case

#4 Steel v. City of San Diego (2010) casd 18 own cites 3× in case

#5 George Washington v. John Summerville, Detective 16520, P. Foley, Detective 12215, J. Capesius, Detective 11093 (1997) ca7 123 own cites 1× in case

#6 Young v. City of Visalia (2009) caed 110 own cites 1× in case

#7 Brown v. Board of Education (2014) tnwd 107 own cites 1× in case

#8 McKinney v. Irving Independent School District (2002) ca5 91 own cites 1× in case

#9 Neileigh Regets v. City of Plymouth (2014) ca6 80 own cites 1× in case

#10 Barnes v. City of New York (2023) ca2 65 own cites 1× in case

#11 Solis v. Prince George's County (2001) mdd 62 own cites 1× in case

#12 Ismail v. County of Orange (2012) cacd 59 own cites 1× in case

#13 James McCreary v. Jeffery Richardson (2013) ca5 52 own cites 1× in case

#14 Prahl v. Brosamle (1980) wisctapp 51 own cites 1× in case

#15 Geidel v. City of Bradenton Beach (1999) flmd 8 own cites 3× in case

#16 Rawlings v. District of Columbia (2011) dcd 41 own cites 1× in case

#17 Bowles v. City of Camden (1998) njd 39 own cites 1× in case

#18 Banks v. York (2007) dcd 39 own cites 1× in case

#19 Van Tassel v. Lawrence County Domestic Relations Section (2009) pawd 33 own cites 1× in case

#20 Dawes v. Walker (2001) ca2 354 own cites 1× in case

Ranking method: leading_score = ln(1 + own_citation_count) × √(mentions_in_case) × flag_factor, where flag_factor = 1.0 green · 0.6 unknown · 0.5 neutral · 0.4 yellow · 0.3 procedural · 0 red. Red-flagged cases excluded — their interpretation has been undermined and shouldn't lead the list. Top 20 returned per statute. Open any case for full G Cite, trajectory, and per-circuit treatment.