Nation IN BRIEF : NATIONWIDE : State Officials May Be Sued, Court Holds

The Supreme Court ruled that elected state officials may be personally sued for damages if they violate the rights of their employees or others. The court has made it more difficult for citizens to sue governments, and two years ago it ruled that state officials may not be sued in their official capacities for rights violations. But, in its newest ruling, the court said that those same officials may be held personally liable if they use their authority to violate rights of others. It means that officials could be forced to pay huge damage awards out of their own pockets.