Monroe v. Pape

The ruling affirmed the right of citizens to seek compensation beyond exclusion of evidence for actions taken "under color of law" by state officials. Monroe v. Pape also confirmed the jurisdiction of the federal judiciary in cases where state courts failed to provide sufficient recompense to victims of civil rights infringements by state authorities. By stopping short of making municipalities liable for the actions of their officers, however, the Court failed to fully protect the rights of the individual. This was remedied in Monell v. Department of Social Services (1978), in which the Court went beyond Monroe to rule that individuals whose civil rights had been violated could seek redress from municipalities as well as from their officers.