Topic
Every decision we've filed under Qualified Immunity.
The Sixth Circuit reversed summary judgment for an officer in a Fourth Amendment excessive force case, finding a genuine dispute of material fact regarding the timing of a chokehold. The court held that whether the deadly force was applied before or after the plaintiff attempted to grab the officer's gun is a factual question for a jury to decide.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for Dr. Aaron Shaw, holding that the plaintiff failed to prove he had subjective knowledge of a substantial risk of serious harm to the pretrial detainee. The court ruled that because the Medical Director did not personally review the specific email detailing the inmate's symptoms, he lacked the requisite awareness to establish a constitutional violation.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of Robert Prosper's civil rights claims, ruling that his complaint failed to state a plausible claim against the named officer or the municipalities. The court held that the district court properly dismissed the case because the plaintiff did not allege sufficient facts to establish municipal liability or a special relationship required for a due process claim.
The Sixth Circuit reversed the denial of qualified immunity for high-level prison officials, holding that their reliance on incompetent medical contractors did not constitute a clearly established Eighth Amendment violation. While the court affirmed that the officials were not the proximate cause of the injuries under state law, it remanded the case to allow the plaintiffs to pursue their state-law negligence claims.
The Sixth Circuit reversed the denial of qualified immunity for high-level prison officials who relied on contracted medical providers to treat a scabies outbreak. The court held that officials are not liable for the incompetence of contractors unless their own actions were so unreasonable as to violate clearly established law.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the district court's judgment against Terry Joyner on his Title VII and Georgia Whistleblower Act claims but reversed the grant of qualified immunity to individual defendants on his First Amendment retaliation claim. The court held that removing Joyner's flexible work schedule after he reported ticket-fixing constituted a material adverse action that likely chilled protected speech.
The Supreme Court reversed the Second Circuit, holding that a police officer was entitled to qualified immunity for using a rear wristlock to remove a passive protester. The Court ruled that existing precedent did not clearly establish that this specific conduct, performed after repeated warnings, violated the Fourth Amendment.
The Fifth Circuit vacated the district court's grant of summary judgment on Greg Murphy's due process claims, finding a genuine dispute of material fact regarding his entitlement to premium pay under school district policy. The court affirmed summary judgment on Murphy's First Amendment and Fourth Amendment claims, holding that the record supported the district's legitimate reasons for his termination and arrest.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed a jury verdict for police officers in a Section 1983 civil rights case, upholding the legality of a traffic stop and arrest. The court rejected the plaintiff's arguments that jury instructions were legally erroneous and that a new trial was warranted due to witness testimony inconsistencies.
The Sixth Circuit reversed the district court's denial of qualified immunity, holding that the plaintiffs failed to satisfy the narrow exception to the probable cause defense under Nieves v. Bartlett. The court reasoned that the officers had probable cause for the arrests and the evidence did not sufficiently show that similarly situated individuals were treated differently based on protected speech.