Rutgers Shakes Off Fired Medical Resident’s Civil Rights Suit

A New Jersey medical resident can’t proceed with civil rights claims against Rutgers University, following his termination from a residency program operated by a private health system, a federal judge said.

James Baucum claimed Rutgers, a state institution, coordinated and shared governance over residents with the system and its hospital, but he didn’t allege facts showing it terminated or ratified his termination, the US District Court for the District of New Jersey said Monday. Liability for civil rights violations under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 requires more than affiliation or sponsorship—it requires evidence that the defendant caused the deprivation while acting ...