Case Name: Percy CLAYBOURN, Plaintiff, v. Viola A. ROUSE, Defendant
Court: United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 1988-11-01
Citations: 698 F. Supp. 730
Docket Number: No. 88 C 8280
Parties: Percy CLAYBOURN, Plaintiff, v. Viola A. ROUSE, Defendant.
Judges: 
Reporter: Federal Supplement
Volume: 698
Pages: 730–731

Head Matter:
Percy CLAYBOURN, Plaintiff, v. Viola A. ROUSE, Defendant.
No. 88 C 8280.
United States District Court, N.D. Illinois, E.D.
Nov. 1, 1988.
Percy Claybourn, pro se.

Opinion:
ORDER
BUA, District Judge.
Plaintiff Percy Claybourn recently filed a § 1983 suit against defendant Viola Rouse, a public defender who represented Clayb-ourn in a previous criminal proceeding. To maintain this lawsuit, Claybourn must establish that Rouse's allegedly unconstitutional conduct amounted to state action. In assessing the liability of a public defender under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, the Supreme Court has concluded that "a public defender does not act under color of state law when performing a lawyer's traditional functions as counsel to a defendant in a criminal proceeding." Polk County v. Dodson, 454 U.S. 312, 325, 102 S.Ct. 445, 453, 70 L.Ed.2d 509 (1981). Consequently, Claybourn cannot sue Rouse under § 1983 based on any actions she took while representing Claybourn. Because Claybourn has failed to state a cause of action against Rouse, this court denies Claybourn's petition for leave to file in forma pauperis.