Section 1983 provides a remedy for violations of rights guaranteed by which part of the U.S. Constitution?

• A. Fourteenth Amendment
• B. First Amendment
• C. Sixth Amendment
• D. Eighth Amendment

Answer: (A)

Section 1983 lets people sue a state or local official (or someone acting under color of state law) when their federally protected rights are violated. The rights involved come from the Constitution, and the Fourteenth Amendment is the primary source because it binds the states and, through incorporation, makes many of the Bill of Rights protections applicable to state action. So when a police officer or other state actor deprives someone of due process or equal protection, that claim is typically grounded in the Fourteenth Amendment under §1983. Other constitutional provisions, like the First or Fourth Amendments, can also be invoked in §1983 suits, but the Fourteenth Amendment is the standard foundation for state-action violations.