Topic

Qualified Immunity

Every decision we've filed under Qualified Immunity.

DELMA TERENZIO, as Personal Representative of the Estate of Joseph A. Terenzio; THOMAS SULLIVAN, as Personal Representative of the Estate of John J. Sullivan; EDWARD POULIN, as...

The First Circuit affirmed the District Court's grant of qualified immunity to state officials sued over the deaths of veterans at a state-run facility during the COVID-19 pandemic. The court held that the plaintiffs failed to plausibly allege that the defendants directly caused the harm or that the law was clearly established to prohibit the alleged conduct.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Qualified Immunity

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Dec 18 2025

1st Cir. 24-1736 Panel Decision

LIBBY HEWES v. SAMANTHA PANGBURN

The First Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a former student's civil rights claims against school officials and a police officer regarding sexual assault by a coach. The court held that the school officials lacked actual knowledge of the abuse and that the plaintiff failed to prove the state created the danger or that the officer was properly served.

Civil Civil Rights - Employment Qualified Immunity

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Dec 9 2025

11th Cir. 3:22-cv-22688-TKW-HTC Published

Kimberley Diane Settle, A Personal Representative for the Estate of Jacob Joseph Settle Sr v. David Collier

The Eleventh Circuit reversed the district court's denial of summary judgment, holding that Officer David Collier was entitled to qualified immunity for using deadly force against Jacob Settle. The court concluded that Settle's actions of starting his truck and shifting it into gear created an objectively reasonable belief of imminent threat, even though the vehicle did not move.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Qualified Immunity Summary Judgment

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Dec 1 2025

11th Cir. 1:20-cv-03662-VMC Published

Tiffany Wingo, as Administrator of the Estate of Kevil Wingo, Sr., et al. v. WellStar Health System, Inc., et al.

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed summary judgment for sheriff's deputies who relied on medical staff advice when a pretrial detainee died from a perforated ulcer. The court held that nonmedical officers cannot be liable for deliberate indifference when their reliance on medical professionals is reasonable.

Criminal Drug Trafficking Qualified Immunity

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Nov 4 2025

11th Cir. 6:20-cv-00025-RBD-DCI Published

Aguirre-Jarquin v. Seminole County

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the denial of qualified immunity to a latent print examiner who allegedly fabricated forensic evidence, but reversed the denial of immunity for investigators who failed to pursue alternative suspects. The court held that fabricating a positive print match violates clearly established due process rights, while no such right existed to an investigation that eliminates all doubts about a suspect.

Criminal Drug Trafficking Qualified Immunity

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Oct 17 2025

11th Cir. 7:19-cv-00529-LSC Published

Bridges v. Poe

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the grant of summary judgment in favor of jail administrators and the City of Jasper, ruling that plaintiffs failed to prove the supervisors knew of or tolerated widespread sexual abuse by jailers. The court held that without evidence of actual knowledge or a persistent custom of misconduct, the administrators could not be held liable under the Eighth Amendment or the TVPRA.

Criminal Qualified Immunity Sex Offenses Statute of Limitations

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Sep 8 2025

9th Cir. 2:21-cv-00241- Published

Jones v. City of North Las Vegas

The Ninth Circuit reversed the district court's grant of qualified immunity to police officers who entered a residential backyard without a warrant after losing track of a fleeing suspect for eighteen minutes. The court held that the continuity of the hot pursuit exception was broken, rendering the warrantless search unreasonable under the Fourth Amendment.

Civil Rights - Section 1983 Criminal Qualified Immunity Robbery & Extortion

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May 16 2025

9th Cir. 3:23-cv-00381-SK Published

ESTATE OF DECEDENT LOLOMANIA SOAKAI; LAVINIA SOAKAI, an individual and personal representative of Estate; DANIEL FIFITA, an individual; SAMIEUELA FINAU, an individual; INA LAVAL...

The Ninth Circuit affirmed the denial of qualified immunity for police officers involved in a high-speed chase where a fleeing suspect crashed into innocent bystanders. The court held that plaintiffs plausibly alleged a Fourteenth Amendment substantive due process violation by claiming the officers chased with a purpose to harm the suspect in a manner exceeding legitimate law enforcement needs, and that this right was clearly established.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Qualified Immunity

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Feb 11 2025

9th Cir. 3:22-cv-00244- Published

K. J., a minor, by and through his guardian ad litem, Kasey L. Johnson v. Doctor LAMONT A. JACKSON

The Ninth Circuit reversed summary judgment, holding that school officials violated a high school student's due process rights by extending his suspension based on new charges without providing notice or a hearing. The court further ruled that the officials are not entitled to qualified immunity and that the student has standing to seek expungement of the disciplinary records.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Qualified Immunity Summary Judgment

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Jan 13 2025

2nd Cir. 22-2884 Panel Decision

Mallet v. New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision

The Second Circuit reversed the dismissal of an inmate's Eighth Amendment claim, holding that the statute of limitations did not begin to run until he reasonably suspected he had prostate cancer, not when he was released from prison. The court remanded the case for further proceedings on the claims against two prison doctors while dismissing the claims against a third provider and state officials.

Civil Rights - Section 1983 Criminal Qualified Immunity Statute of Limitations

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