United States Ninth Circuit

When investigating a crime, a county sheriff's department acts on behalf of the county, not the state, and therefore the county is subject to liability, under 42 U.S.C. sec. 1983.

Appellate Information

• Argued 07/09/2001
• Decided 12/28/2001
• Published 12/28/2001

Judges

• HALL, Circuit Judge:, Before:  HALL, WARDLAW, and BERZON, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Ninth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• James H. Thebeau, Deputy County Counsel, Bakersfield, California, for amicus curiae California State Association of Counties., Stephen Yagman, Yagman & Yagman & Reichmann, Venice Beach, California, for amicus curiae Yagman & Yagman & Reichmann.


• For Appellees:
  
• John Hagar, Law Office of John Hagar, San Francisco, California, for the defendants-appellants., David A. Prentice,Prentice & Schaap, Sacramento, California, for the plaintiff-appellee.