Vinson v. Butcher (Signed Opinion)
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The Supreme Court reversed the orders of the circuit court in favor of Rosa Lee Butcher in the suit Butcher filed against Defendants, a police officer and the Clarksburg City Police Department, holding that in a claim filed pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 1983 a plaintiff cannot obtain a finding of liability or receive a judgment for damages against a John Doe defendant.
The circuit court upheld the jury's finding of liability against the John Doe defendants, as well as the judgment rendered against the John Doe defendants in favor of Butcher. The court then awarded costs and attorney's fees to Butcher. The Supreme Court reversed, holding (1) a government official can be held liable only for his or her own misconduct, and Butcher failed to establish that any of the John Doe defendants were personally and directly responsible for the conduct giving rise to her section 1983 claim; and (2) because Butcher did not prevail in her section 1983 action she was not entitled to receive an award of her costs or attorney's fees.
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