Is the Section 1983 Civil Rights Statute Overworked? Expanded Use of Magistrates--An Alternative to Exhaustion

Part I of this Note discusses the history and purpose of section 1983 and identifies the danger unmanaged growth of 1983 suits poses to civil rights. Part II examines several judicial responses to the 1983 caseload problem and concludes that congressional action is more appropriate. Parts III and IV explore two areas of possible legislative action. Part III questions the efficacy of a legislatively imposed requirement that the claimant exhaust state administrative remedies as a prerequisite to a 1983 suit in federal court. Part IV proposes an alternative congressional response to the 1983 caseload problem: a carefully tailored use of the existing magistracy apparatus. The Note concludes that magistrates can handle many of the issues in 1983 suits that strain judicial resources, and no other measure, short of a substantial increase in the number of federal judges, can effectively manage the 1983 caseload problem, while at the same time preserving section 1983\u27s central purpose of providing a federal forum to civil rights litigants

Pacto entre rey lejano y súbditos indígenas. Justicia, legalidad y política en Nueva España, siglo XVII

Este artículo trata la idea de un “pacto” entre el rey español y sus vasallos indios del Nuevo Mundo. Tal pacto fue mediado por un sistema de justicia basada en la teoría jusnaturalista articulada por los tratadistas del siglo XVI. Aunque los indígenas no entraron en los detalles de tales teorías, sí llegaron a conocer sus efectos concretos mediante los derechos y la operación de las leyes de Indias.  Por ser tributarios, se les podía explotar en nombre del fisco real.  Por la misma razón se les debía protección real en relación a españoles codiciosos que se burlaban de las leyes para aprovecharse de los indios. A través de pleitos y peticiones, litigantes indios del siglo XVII desarrollaron un léxico y una práctica político-legal que tenía por punto de partida la idea de la justica como valor norteador de la sociedad novohispana

Is the Section 1983 Civil Rights Statute Overworked? Expanded Use of Magistrates--An Alternative to Exhaustion

Part I of this Note discusses the history and purpose of section 1983 and identifies the danger unmanaged growth of 1983 suits poses to civil rights. Part II examines several judicial responses to the 1983 caseload problem and concludes that congressional action is more appropriate. Parts III and IV explore two areas of possible legislative action. Part III questions the efficacy of a legislatively imposed requirement that the claimant exhaust state administrative remedies as a prerequisite to a 1983 suit in federal court. Part IV proposes an alternative congressional response to the 1983 caseload problem: a carefully tailored use of the existing magistracy apparatus. The Note concludes that magistrates can handle many of the issues in 1983 suits that strain judicial resources, and no other measure, short of a substantial increase in the number of federal judges, can effectively manage the 1983 caseload problem, while at the same time preserving section 1983\u27s central purpose of providing a federal forum to civil rights litigants