Legal Opinion
Polk County v. Dodson
Supreme Court of the United States
Decided December 14, 1981No. 80-824PublishedCited by 4,741 opinions
1Opinion of the CourtJustice Powell
The question in this case is whether a public defender acts “under color of state law” when representing an indigent defendant in a state criminal proceeding.
HH
This case arose when the respondent Russell Richard Dodson filed a pro se complaint in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. Dodson brought the action in federal court under 42 U. S. C. § 1983. As the factual basis for his lawsuit Dodson alleged that Martha Shepard, an attorney in the Polk County Offender Advocate’s Office, had failed to represent him adequately in an appeal to the Iowa Supreme Court.1
A…
2Cases cited37 opinions
- Anders v. CaliforniaSupreme Court of the United States · 1967
- Monell v. New York City Dept. of Social Servs.Supreme Court of the United States · 1978
- Estelle v. GambleSupreme Court of the United States · 1976
- Haines v. KernerSupreme Court of the United States · 1972
- Gideon v. WainwrightSupreme Court of the United States · 1963
32 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by4,741 opinions
- West v. AtkinsSupreme Court of the United States · 1988
- Kentucky v. GrahamSupreme Court of the United States · 1985
- Penson v. OhioSupreme Court of the United States · 1988
- City of Canton v. HarrisSupreme Court of the United States · 1989
- United States v. CronicSupreme Court of the United States · 1984
4,736 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.