Opinion ID: 762759
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Nature of Third-Party Complaint

Text: 46 In order to prevail on a § 1983 suit brought against defendants in their official capacity, the plaintiff must establish that the deprivation of his rights was the result of an official policy or custom. See Board of Cty. Com'rs v. Brown, 520 U.S. 397, 400, 117 S.Ct. 1382, 137 L.Ed.2d 626 (1997); Monell v. New York City Dept. of Soc. Servs., 436 U.S. 658, 691, 98 S.Ct. 2018, 56 L.Ed.2d 611 (1978). 47 The District Court held that M.E. provided no evidence that third-party defendants acted pursuant to a municipal policy. M.E. contends his third-party complaint was clearly brought against third-party defendants in both their individual and official capacities and that the third-party defendants acted pursuant to some policy or custom of Ridgewood. We disagree. M.E. has provided no evidence that Ridgewood's policy is to ignore the responsibilities imposed by IDEA. Rather the evidence presented was that Ridgewood failed to fulfill its responsibilities. Therefore we will affirm the order of the District Court granting summary judgment on this issue. 48