Topic

Qualified Immunity

Every decision we've filed under Qualified Immunity.

Related topics

Civil 2084 Criminal 1218 Summary Judgment 466 Sentencing Guidelines 413 Civil Rights - Section 1983 395 Immigration (Civil) 354 Constitutional 350 Supervised Release 285 Drug Trafficking 272 Firearms 213 Civil Rights - Employment 204 Intellectual Property 159
Mar 3 2026
10th Cir. 6:24-CV-00146-JAR Panel Decision

AMBER STEPP and JONATHON STEPP v. JASON LOCKHART; SCOTTIE RUSSELL; STEVE WOODS; LESLIE CRANK; RUSTY BLUE; COURTNEY MORELAND; KATHY ANDERSON; BILL BLAIR; TRACY BRYANT individuals...

The Tenth Circuit affirmed that school officials violated the Equal Protection Clause by enforcing a sex-segregation policy in an elementary school and retaliated against parents who complained. However, the court reversed the denial of qualified immunity for the teacher regarding substantive due process claims and dismissed procedural due process claims against supervisors for lack of personal participation.

Criminal Qualified Immunity Sex Offenses
Read summary →
Mar 2 2026
10th Cir. 4:21-CV-00026-DN-PK) Panel Decision

DANYALE BLACKMORE and VINCENT BLACKMORE v. JARED CARLSON; ERIC DEMILLE; HURRICANE CITY and LA-NORMA RAMIREZ; WASHINGTON COUNTY

The Tenth Circuit affirmed the district court's summary judgment on an unlawful seizure claim because the appellant failed to challenge one of three independent alternative grounds supporting the ruling. The court also affirmed the dismissal of an excessive force claim, holding that the law was not clearly established at the time of the incident.

Constitutional Fourth Amendment - Search & Seizure Qualified Immunity Summary Judgment
Read summary →
Feb 26 2026
7th Cir. 23-3060 Panel Decision

Nielsen v. Sexton

The Seventh Circuit affirmed that prison officials violated an inmate's Eighth Amendment rights by using her as bait to catch a sexual predator, but reversed the damages award due to insufficient evidence and procedural errors. The court ordered a new trial on compensatory and punitive damages while leaving the liability finding intact.

Criminal Qualified Immunity Sex Offenses
Read summary →
Feb 26 2026
7th Cir. 24-1696 Panel Decision

Nielsen v. Sexton

The Seventh Circuit affirmed that prison officials acted with deliberate indifference by using an inmate as bait to catch a staff member who was sexually assaulting her, rejecting their qualified immunity defense. However, the court reversed the damages award, ordering a new trial because the jury lacked sufficient evidence to link the officials to the abuse prior to their specific knowledge and because the exclusion of evidence regarding the inmate's state of mind prejudiced the punitive damages calculation.

Criminal Qualified Immunity Sex Offenses
Read summary →
Feb 26 2026
7th Cir. 24-1252 Panel Decision

Steinhoff v. Malovrh

The Seventh Circuit affirmed qualified immunity for the officer who tackled a suspect during a drug raid but reversed the immunity grant for a second officer whose rifle struck the suspect's head. The court held that disputed facts regarding whether the blow was intentional or accidental preclude summary judgment on the excessive force claim.

Criminal Qualified Immunity Robbery & Extortion Summary Judgment
Read summary →
Feb 24 2026
7th Cir. 24-1100 Panel Decision

JOHNNIE E. RUSSELL v. RYAN COMSTOCK, COLIN POWELL, and DAVE WOHLGEMUTH

The Seventh Circuit affirmed summary judgment for a police officer who conducted a warrantless search of an apartment following a stabbing. The court held that the officer was entitled to qualified immunity because it was not clearly established law that such a search violated the Fourth Amendment under the emergency aid exception.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Qualified Immunity Summary Judgment
Read summary →
Feb 24 2026
10th Cir. 1:23-CV-01951-SKC-MDB Panel Decision

Armendariz v. City of Colorado Springs

The Tenth Circuit reversed the district court's dismissal of Fourth Amendment claims against Colorado Springs police officers, holding that three search warrants executed during a housing-rights march were overbroad and violated clearly established law. The court affirmed the dismissal of claims against the FBI regarding data retention but remanded the remaining claims for further proceedings.

Child Sexual Abuse Material Criminal Qualified Immunity
Read summary →
Feb 18 2026
7th Cir. 24-1733 Panel Decision

MARLEIS TROVER, as Personal Representative of the Estate of DONALD D. GADDIS v. CRAIG OGLESBY and DUSTIN KELLEY

The Seventh Circuit affirmed summary judgment for police officers in a civil rights suit involving an inventory search of a trespasser's vehicle. The court held that the plaintiff failed to prove the officers' conduct was clearly established as unlawful and that the district court did not abuse its discretion in refusing an adverse inference instruction for missing dashcam footage.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Qualified Immunity
Read summary →