West v. Atkins
- Decided
- June 20, 1988
- Docket
- 87-5096
- Status
- Published
- Jurisdiction
- Federal
Cited 16,767 timesOverruled in part on other grounds (not yet verified)Possible negative treatment: overruled in part on other grounds (not yet verified) · Holland v. Taylor
What later courts said
- holding that an individual is -1181 acting under color of state law when he is exercising his responsibilities pursuant to state law — Louise Whitney v. State of New Mexico Charles Patrick, Employee of the State of New Mexico John/jane Doe, Unknown Employees of the State of New Mexico (1997)
- concluding that injury caused by state action was compounded because it occurred in a courthouse — Leshko v. Servis (2005)
- holding that contract prison physician worked "under color of state law for purposes of § 1983" — Burke v. Regalado (2019)
Each line is a later court’s own words about this case, not a summary. Read the opinion before relying on it.
How the opinion begins
Justice Blackmun delivered the opinion of the Court.
This case presents the question whether a physician who is under contract with the State to provide medical services to inmates at a state-prison hospital on a part-time basis acts “under color of state law,” within the meaning of 42 U. S. C. § 1983, when he treats an inmate.
Petitioner, Quincy West, tore his left Achilles tendon in 1983 while playing volleyball at Odom Correctional Center, the Jackson, N. C., state prison in which he was incarcerated. A physician under contract to provide medical care to Odom inmates examined petitioner and directed that he be [*44] transferred to Raleigh for orthopedic consultation at Central Prison Hospital, the acute-care medical facility operated by the State for its more than 17,500 inmates. Central Prison Hospital has one full-time staff physician, and obtains additional medical assistance under “Contracts for Professional Services” between the State and area physicians.
Statutes cited
Cite this
West v. Atkins, 487 U.S. 42 (1988)Read the full opinion
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