context: A defendant sued in his official capacity is a different "legal personage" than one sued in his individual, or personal capacity.
citation_a.signal: see also
citation_a.parenthetical: "[A] section 1983 suit against a municipality and a suit against a municipal official acting in his or her official capacity are the same."
citation_a.sentence: See Kentucky v. Graham, 473 U.S. 159, 165, 105 S.Ct. 3099, 87 L.Ed.2d 114 (1985); see also Myers v. Okla. County Bd. of County Comm’rs, 151 F.3d 1313, 1316 n. 2 (10th Cir.1998) (“[A] section 1983 suit against a municipality and a suit against a municipal official acting in his or her official capacity are the same.”) (citation and quotation omitted).
citation_b.signal: see
citation_b.identifier: 484 U.S. 72, 78
citation_b.parenthetical: "The concept of 'legal personage' is a practical means of identifying the real interests at stake in a lawsuit."
citation_b.sentence: See Karcher v. May, 484 U.S. 72, 78, 108 S.Ct. 388, 98 L.Ed.2d 327 (1987) (“The concept of ‘legal personage’ is a practical means of identifying the real interests at stake in a lawsuit.”). A suit against government officers in their official capacities is actually a suit against the government entity that employs the officers.