§ 1983 Target Map

State statutes and big-city ordinances that look open to a constitutional challenge under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 after recent Supreme Court and circuit decisions, with every known challenge and how it came out. Laws are ranked by a priority score that weighs the chance of winning and what is at stake against the work a case would take.

How to read the scores
Likelihood of success (1–5)Our judgment of how likely a § 1983 challenge filed now would win, given controlling precedent in that circuit. 5 means directly controlled by a recent decision.
Stakes (low, medium, high)How many people the law reaches and how much a win would matter: money returned, speech or conduct freed, or precedent set.
Litigation burden (1–5)1 is a clean facial or as-applied case on settled precedent. 5 means heavy fact development, a hostile circuit, standing problems, or Tax Injunction Act and comity limits on a federal forum.
Priority scoreLikelihood × stakes (1, 2 or 3) ÷ burden. Range 0.2 to 15. Higher means a better return on a case.
Challenge statusNo challenge filed; challenge pending; upheld or dismissed (the challenge failed); struck or enjoined (the challenge succeeded, even if on appeal).
Sourcing“Verified” means the statute text and the opinion, order or docket were read. Everything else rests on secondary reporting or is not yet checked. Confirm every citation before relying on it.
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Color states by
Layers
Subject
Challenge status
Stakes
Sourcing
 

Best priority score by state

Circles are city and county laws, sized by number of laws and colored by status no challenge filed challenge pending struck or enjoined upheld or dismissed

All laws, ranked

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Rank Jurisdiction Law Subject Provision Likelihood Stakes Burden Priority Status Sourcing