Can I sue a private actor for violating my civil rights?
Yes. This issue really does not come up under State law, since there are state laws permitting the suing of a private individual (or entity) for various types of injuries, but it is an issue that is more and more prominently featured in Federal lawsuits under 42 U.S.C. ยง 1983. Traditionally, if a private individual (or entity) uses the machine of government to accomplish an illegal goal, the private individual (or entity) can be sued for a civil rights violation. For example, if an apartment complex hires a police officer to provide security in an apartment complex, and the officer negligently investigates the report of a rape; the victim could claim a constitutional right to have the report investigated. The officer will probably be protected by “qualified” and “official” immunities, but the apartment manager and/or owner could both be liable for negligently not having a policy requiring the officer to take specific actions in response to a claim of rape. You should note that, if the
