United States Ninth Circuit

Police officer's defamation lawsuit under California Civil Code 47.5, which allows police officers accused of misconduct to sue their accusers for defamation, does not qualify as an act under color of law under 42 USC 1983.

Appellate Information

• Argued 05/07/2001
• Decided 06/13/2001
• Published 06/13/2001

Judges

• RYMER, Circuit Judge:, Before:  RYMER, HAWKINS and GOULD, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Ninth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Anthony M. Santana, Sacramento, California, for amicus curiae California Association of Highway Patrolmen, and Enrique Hernandez, Los Angeles, California, for amicus Los Angeles Police Protective League., Daniel S. Murphy, Principal Deputy, Long Beach, California, for amicus curiae City of Long Beach., Stephen M. Fiegel, Sacramento, California, for amicus curiae Kenneth Stanley., Mary Frances Prevost, San Diego, California, for amici curiae California Anti-Slapp Project, et al., Paul L. Hoffman, Schonbrun Desimone Seplow Harris & Hoffman LLP, Venice, California, and Douglas E. Mirell, and Joseph Geisman, Los Angeles, California, for amici curiae Individual Civil Rights Attorneys., Marci Fukuroda, California Women's Law Center, Los Angeles, California, for amicus curiae California Women's Law Center.


• For Appellees:
  
• Larry J. Roberts,Law Offices of James E. Trott, Fountain Valley, California, for the defendant-appellant., Daniel P. Tokaji, ACLU Foundation of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, and Alan L. Schlosser, ACLU Foundation of Northern California, San Francisco, California, for the plaintiff-appellee.