Plunkett Cooney attorneys contribute to a new ABA civil rights book

The fifth edition of a American Bar Association (ABA) book on civil rights law was recently released and includes significant contributions by four attorneys from Plunkett Cooney, a firm that employs approximately 150 attorneys in seven Michigan cities, including  Grand Rapids.

Partners Mary Massaron and Josephine A. DeLorenzo served as co-editors of “Sword and Shield: A Practical Approach to Section 1983 Litigation,” which examines civil rights laws and the federal statute 42 USC § 1983. 

First published in 1998, “Sword and Shield” provides a comprehensive review of the fundamentals of Section 1983 litigation in state court.

Also contributing chapters to “Sword and Shield” are Plunkett Cooney partner Michael S. Bogren and senior attorney Rhonda R. Stowers. Bogren, a member of Plunkett Cooney’s Board of Directors and Governmental Law Practice Group, wrote Chapter 4: “Claims Under 42 U.S.C. § 1983: A discussion of Procedural Issues and Immunities.” Stowers, who is a senior attorney and member of the Michigan Association of Municipal Attorneys (MAMA) board of directors, authored Chapter 9: “The Eighth Amendment.”

42 U.S. Code § 1983 - Civil action for deprivation of rights – commonly referred to as the Civil Rights Act,  is a federal statute that allows lawsuits to be brought by people alleging that their rights protected by the U.S. Constitution or federal statutes have been violated by state or local governments or the agents of those governments.

This multi-author treatise is written by prominent practitioners and academics from around the country.