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The Civil Rights Act Of 1991, Retroactivity, And Continuing Violations: The Effect Of Landgraf V. Usi Film Products And Rivers V. Roadway, Leonard Charles Presberg

University of Richmond Law Review

The Civil Rights Act of 1991 (the Act) made significant changes to the major employment discrimination statutes. In addition to restoring the law that was in effect prior to a number of Supreme Court decisions which eroded the civil rights statutes, the Act also added remedies that were omitted from previous legislation. One important area that was unclear at the time of the Act's passage was the issue of retroactivity. In light of the Act's unclear legislative history, ambiguous statutory language, and seemingly contradictory Supreme Court precedent, the Act's retroactive nature has been widely litigated and discussed.