Opinion ID: 1155949
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Harborview

Text: 42 U.S.C. § 1983 of the Civil Rights Act of 1871 provides in relevant part: Every person who, under color of any statute, ordinance, regulation, custom, or usage, of any State or Territory ... subjects, or causes to be subjected, any citizen of the United States or other person within the jurisdiction thereof to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the Constitution and laws, shall be liable to the party injured in an action at law, suit in equity, or other proper proceeding for redress. (Italics ours.) The trial court's dismissal of the § 1983 claims against Harborview was premised on its conclusion that Harborview is not a person subject to liability under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. [6] The trial court's conclusion is in accord with this court's decision in Edgar v. State, 92 Wn.2d 217, 222, 595 P.2d 534 (1979), cert. denied, 444 U.S. 1077 (1980), wherein we held the State is not suable under section 1983 for acts of its agents subjecting the plaintiff to deprivation of his civil rights. See Quern v. Jordan, 440 U.S. 332, 59 L.Ed.2d 358, 99 S.Ct. 1139 (1979) (states are immune from § 1983 damage suits in federal court under the Eleventh Amendment). Our holding in Edgar necessarily embraces § 1983 suits against state agencies or instrumentalities, for such suits are, in effect, suits against the State regardless of whether it is named a party to the action. See Rains v. State, 100 Wn.2d 660, 664, 674 P.2d 165 (1983) (suit against members of Public Disclosure Commission is in effect suit against the State). See also Edelman v. Jordan, 415 U.S. 651, 39 L.Ed.2d 662, 94 S.Ct. 1347 (1974). Cf. Centralia College Educ. Ass'n v. Board of Trustees, 82 Wn.2d 128, 129, 508 P.2d 1357 (1973). The trial court found, based upon uncontroverted evidence, that Harborview is operated and managed by the University of Washington and all of its employees are employees of the University. See also RCW 36.62.290. Because the University of Washington is a state agency, Harborview, as operated and managed by the University, is an arm of the State. Its employees are state employees and claims against the University's operation at Harborview are paid from a fund held by the State Treasurer. See RCW 28B.20.253. It is clear that, in the context of this case, a § 1983 suit against Harborview is in legal effect a suit against the State and cannot, therefore, be maintained.