Monell v. Department of Social Services
Case Date: 05/05/1978
|
Monell v. City of New York Department of Social Services, 436 U.S. 658 (1978) was a case decided by the United States Supreme Court in which the Court overruled Monroe v. Pape in holding that government agencies qualify as "persons" under Section 1983.[1]
The case began in July 1971 as a challenge to the New York City Board of Education's forced maternity leave policies. In a different lawsuit in 1978, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that cities were liable for damages under the Civil Rights Act. Following the decision, New York settled for $375,500, to be divided among all women employees placed on forced maternity leave from July 1968 to the time of the case being filed. New York increased the money available for compensations to $11 million after an unexpectedly large response from women to notices announcing the settlement. The claims were paid in the fall of 1981.[2]
This resolution created a precedent that for the first time established local government accountability for unconstitutional acts and created the right to obtain damages from municipalities in such cases.
|