Topic

Qualified Immunity

Every decision we've filed under Qualified Immunity.

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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
Apr 23 2026
6th Cir. 25-5733 Published

Eurton v. Thomas

The Sixth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for police officers who entered a home to conduct a welfare check, ruling that their actions were objectively reasonable under the emergency aid exception. The court held that the officers were shielded by qualified immunity because a reasonable officer could have believed immediate force was necessary to prevent harm given the dispatch warnings and the plaintiff's behavior.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Fourth Amendment - Search & Seizure Qualified Immunity
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Apr 23 2026
6th Cir. 24-4060 2-1

Driscoll v. Montgomery Cnty. Bd. of Comm'rs

The Sixth Circuit affirmed the denial of Deputy Smiley's qualified immunity motion, holding that a reasonable officer could not have known that shooting an unarmed, non-dangerous man with evident diminished capacity violated clearly established law. The court concluded that the deputy's belief that the plaintiff was drinking gasoline was objectively unreasonable, rendering the use of deadly force unconstitutional under the Fourth Amendment.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Fourth Amendment - Search & Seizure Qualified Immunity
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Apr 22 2026
4th Cir. 24-7215 Panel Decision

PATRICK NICHOLS v. N. BUMGARNER, Montgomery County Police Officer Defendant –

The Fourth Circuit vacated a district court dismissal of a pro se excessive force complaint, ruling that the lower court applied an overly strict pleading standard and failed to include a second officer as a defendant. The appellate court held that the plaintiff's allegations, accepted as true, sufficiently stated a plausible claim under the Fourth Amendment's reasonableness test.

Civil Rights - Section 1983 Criminal Embezzlement & Forgery Qualified Immunity
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Apr 21 2026
10th Cir. 6:14-CV-00385-JAR Panel Decision

Womble v. Chrisman, et al.

The Tenth Circuit affirmed summary judgment on a prisoner's claim regarding inadequate nutrition but reversed the ruling on unsanitary toilet and shower conditions. The court held that a reasonable jury could find prison officials acted with deliberate indifference to the Eighth Amendment regarding the facilities, remanding the case for trial on that specific claim.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Eighth Amendment - Cruel & Unusual Qualified Immunity
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Apr 21 2026
10th Cir. 1:20-CV-01878-RBJ Panel Decision

Packard, et al. v. City and County of Denver, et al.

The Tenth Circuit affirmed a jury verdict finding a Denver police officer liable for excessive force, rejecting his qualified immunity claim because clearly established law prohibited using pepperballs on peaceful, unarmed protesters without warning. The court also upheld the denial of a bifurcation motion and the punitive damages award, confirming that the officer acted with reckless indifference to the plaintiff's constitutional rights.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Fourth Amendment - Search & Seizure Qualified Immunity
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Apr 21 2026
10th Cir. 5:22-CV-00425-G) Panel Decision

Comanche Nation v. Ware, et al.

The Tenth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of RICO claims against tribal officials in their official capacities, ruling that tribal sovereign immunity remains intact for such suits. However, the court reversed the dismissal of Indian Gaming Regulatory Act claims, holding that Congress expressly abrogated tribal immunity for these specific statutory violations.

Criminal Money Laundering Qualified Immunity
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Apr 20 2026
5th Cir. 25-30213 Panel Decision

Amanda Carter v. Chad Dupuy

The Fifth Circuit reversed the denial of summary judgment, holding that a deputy's brief push and pull of a mother at a school constituted de minimis force insufficient to violate the Fourth Amendment. Because the force used was nominal, the deputy is entitled to qualified immunity and the plaintiffs' federal and state law claims must be dismissed.

Constitutional Fourth Amendment - Search & Seizure Qualified Immunity Summary Judgment
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