Opinion ID: 169475
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: The Academy's Liability Based on Policy or Custom

Text: The Academy argued below that it should not be liable under § 1983 because there was no institutional policy or custom depriving Plaintiffs of their rights. See Monell v. Dep't of Soc. Servs., 436 U.S. 658, 694, 98 S.Ct. 2018, 56 L.Ed.2d 611 (1978). It is true that § 1983 liability for an entity cannot be predicated on respondeat superior. See City of Canton v. Harris, 489 U.S. 378, 385, 109 S.Ct. 1197, 103 L.Ed.2d 412 (1989). Instead, it is necessary to show a direct causal link between the acts of the entity and the alleged constitutional deprivation(s). Ware v. Unified Sch. Dist. No. 492, 881 F.2d 906, 912-13 (10th Cir.1989). Under appropriate circumstances, a single decision by policymakers can be sufficient to create liability under § 1983. Pembaur v. City of Cincinnati, 475 U.S. 469, 480, 106 S.Ct. 1292, 89 L.Ed.2d 452 (1986). In its opinion and order, the district court never addressed the Academy's argument regarding the lack of a policy or custom, and the Academy is free to reassert it on remand.