Topic
Every decision we've filed under Qualified Immunity.
The Ninth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for a Seattle police officer who shot and killed a fleeing suspect holding his infant daughter. The court held that the officer was entitled to qualified immunity because no clearly established law prohibited his conduct under these specific circumstances.
The Ninth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a civil rights lawsuit brought by a pro se plaintiff challenging his arrest and prosecution. The court held that the claims were barred under Heck v. Humphrey because success would imply the invalidity of the plaintiff's conviction, which remains intact.
The Tenth Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment to a county commissioner in a First Amendment retaliation case. The court held that the plaintiff waived his arguments on appeal by failing to properly develop them in his opening brief and by not opposing the defense in the district court.
The Sixth Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment in a civil rights action arising from a fatal officer-involved shooting. The court held that the police officers were entitled to qualified immunity and that the plaintiffs failed to develop their municipal liability claims.
The Sixth Circuit affirmed the denial of a preliminary injunction against a threatened state prosecution, holding that while the plaintiff's speech was likely protected, he failed to demonstrate irreparable harm because the prosecution targeted past speech and state courts offered adequate defenses.
The Fifth Circuit reversed the dismissal of a Fourth Amendment claim regarding a police re-entry into a home after officers realized they were at the wrong address. The court affirmed the dismissal of an excessive force claim, finding that pointing a gun at a sleeping couple in this context did not violate clearly established law.
The Sixth Circuit affirmed a summary judgment ruling in favor of dental school administrators sued for First Amendment retaliation. The court held that the plaintiff's speech regarding protective gear and workplace conditions did not address a matter of public concern.
The Sixth Circuit affirmed a district court grant of qualified immunity to police officers who fatally shot a suspect who reached for a firearm and turned toward them. The court held that the officers' use of deadly force was objectively reasonable under the Fourth Amendment given the suspect's noncompliance and immediate threat.
The Ninth Circuit reversed summary judgment for Dr. Dale Woolridge, holding that conducting a forensic medical exam on a child without parental consent or a court order violates clearly established constitutional rights absent exigent circumstances. The court also reversed summary judgment for investigator Gerardo Talamantes on judicial deception claims, finding a genuine dispute of material fact regarding the materiality of his statements to the juvenile court.
The Fifth Circuit dismissed the appeal of a former Texas prisoner seeking to challenge his conviction, ruling that his claims were untimely and failed to state a valid cause of action. The court held that the appellant's allegations of conspiracy and discrimination were conclusory and that he cannot raise new theories of relief for the first time on appeal.