Topic
Every decision we've filed under Civil Rights - Section 1983.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a pro se plaintiff's Section 1983 claims, ruling that the proposed amended complaint failed to state a valid claim regardless of the district court's procedural error. The court held that the amendment was insufficient as a matter of law because it omitted the police department and failed to allege a Monell violation.
The Tenth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a challenge to a Shawnee, Kansas zoning ordinance that limits the number of unrelated people living together. The court held that the ordinance does not violate the Fourteenth Amendment rights to intimate association or equal protection under the controlling precedent of Village of Belle Terre v. Boraas.
The Tenth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of Barry Morphew's civil rights lawsuit, ruling that he failed to plausibly allege a lack of probable cause for his arrest and prosecution. The court held that the arrest affidavit contained sufficient evidence of motive, means, and opportunity to support the murder charges, regardless of the alleged misconduct by investigators.
The Ninth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of David Diaz's civil rights lawsuit, ruling that his claims are barred because they would imply the invalidity of his 1999 conviction. The court further held that the doctrine of res judicata prevents Diaz from relitigating claims he previously brought in a 2001 suit.
The First Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a First Amendment challenge to Maine's IOLTA program, ruling that the plaintiffs failed to plausibly allege that the program compelled their speech. The court held that the plaintiffs did not sufficiently demonstrate that the client funds in question would have earned net interest outside the IOLTA program, a necessary element for a compelled-speech claim under existing precedent.
The Fifth Circuit dismissed Montez Lesha Bishop's appeal as frivolous because he failed to meaningfully challenge the district court's ruling that his Bivens claims were noncognizable. This dismissal counts as a strike toward the three-strike limit under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g), restricting his ability to proceed in forma pauperis in future civil actions while incarcerated.
The Sixth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for city officials, ruling that a former council member failed to prove his prosecution was retaliatory because he lacked probable cause to rebut the presumption of validity arising from a grand jury indictment. The court held that the official's undisclosed financial interest in a public contract negated any First Amendment protection, regardless of the government's motive.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the dismissal of an inmate's Eighth Amendment claim because he failed to exhaust administrative remedies under the Prison Litigation Reform Act. The court held that the prison's grievance process remained available to the plaintiff despite his inability to use writing utensils and a limit on pending grievances.
The Tenth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for police officers in a Fourth Amendment excessive force case, holding they were entitled to qualified immunity. The court found the officers' use of force was objectively reasonable because the plaintiff remained actively resistant even after being tased.
The Ninth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for police officers in a civil rights action, ruling that the plaintiff's own deposition testimony defeated his claims of evidence fabrication and malicious prosecution. The court held that the plaintiff's admission that he failed to register his weapon as required by law established probable cause for his arrest, which serves as a complete defense to both constitutional torts.