Opinion ID: 1772033
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Petta's Section 1983 Claims

Text: Petta sued the Department and Trooper Rivera, in his official capacity, under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. In her brief before this Court, Petta concedes that a governmental unit does not fall into section 1983's definition of a person and is not subject to section 1983 claims. We agree. Nonetheless, Petta argues that Rivera could be subject to section 1983 liability in his official capacity. We note that Petta only brought this claim against Rivera in his official capacity; she did not sue Rivera under section 1983 in his individual capacity. In considering this exact issue, the United States Supreme Court held that neither a State nor its officials acting in their official capacities are `persons' under section 1983. [32] In reaching this decision, the Supreme Court recognized that a section 1983 suit against a state official in his official capacity is a suit against the state. Thus, Petta's section 1983 suit against Rivera in his official capacity is really a suit against the Department. We therefore hold that Rivera, in his official capacity, is entitled to summary judgment on Petta's section 1983 claims. Thomas v. Allen, [33] on which the court of appeals relied to salvage this claim, does not preclude summary judgment for the Department or Rivera in his official capacity. In Thomas, we simply recognized that a state court must entertain a federal section 1983 claim when the parties and controversy are properly before it. [34] This does not mean that a state court cannot render summary judgment on the basis of sovereign immunity from suit once the case is entertained and the merits are presented.