A Bivens lawsuit is a civil claim against a federal agent for violations of the Constitution, also known as constitutional torts. This makes a Bivens claim very similar to a 1983 lawsuit. However, the defendants in Bivens claims are federal officials, not state or local officers. There are several other subtle differences between the two types of claims, as well. One difference is that Bivens claims cannot be made against government agencies. Bivens claims have to be made against individual officers. Bivens also only covers violations of the U.S. Constitution, while 1983 claims also encompass violations of federal law.