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 17 2026
4th Cir. 25-1058 Panel Decision

Byers v. Painter

The Fourth Circuit affirmed the denial of qualified immunity for a police officer who used deadly force against a man holding a hatchet, ruling that the force was objectively unreasonable under the totality of the circumstances. The court held that the officer violated clearly established Fourth Amendment rights because the suspect posed no immediate threat and was fleeing when shot in the back.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Fourth Amendment - Search & Seizure Qualified Immunity
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Apr 15 2026
10th Cir. 5:23-CV-03032-EFM-BGS Panel Decision

ADRIAN D. LIVINGSTON v. UNIFIED GOVERNMENT OF WYANDOTTE COUNTY; WYANDOTTE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS; ADAM SOKOLOFF; TAYLOR HINES; (FNU) SANDERS; (FNU) CONTRERAS; DONA...

The Tenth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of Adrian Livingston's Section 1983 claims, ruling that his post-acquittal detention was justified by good-faith reliance on an inaccurate detention system. The court rejected arguments regarding malicious prosecution, statute of limitations, and supervisory liability, finding no constitutional violations or policy failures by the county.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Fourth Amendment - Search & Seizure Qualified Immunity
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Apr 14 2026
11th Cir. 5:22-cv-00109-MTT Published

Ricardo McClinton, Surviving Parents and Co-Administrators of the Estate of deceased Jamari McClinton, Doris Jones, Surviving Parents and Co-Administrators of the Estate of dece...

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed summary judgment, holding that prison officials are not liable under the Eighth Amendment without proof of subjective knowledge of a specific risk to an inmate. The court clarified that general awareness of gang violence is insufficient to establish deliberate indifference when officials lack actual awareness that their conduct caused a substantial risk of harm.

Criminal Eighth Amendment - Cruel & Unusual Prison Offenses Qualified Immunity
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Apr 14 2026
4th Cir. 24-2026 Panel Decision

Rice v. Adams

The Fourth Circuit reversed the denial of qualified immunity for detention officers, holding that the plaintiff failed to plead facts connecting specific officers to the inmate's death. The court ruled that collective allegations against a group of officers are insufficient to establish individual liability under the Fourteenth Amendment.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Qualified Immunity
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Apr 14 2026
7th Cir. 25-1918 Panel Decision

Jane Doe 1 v. Steven V. Sloan

The Seventh Circuit affirmed the dismissal of plaintiffs' substantive due process claims against police officers who shared child pornography images with an untrained auxiliary officer. The court held that while the officers' conduct was improper, no fundamental constitutional right was violated because the delegation of access was not historically prohibited.

Civil Rights - Section 1983 Constitutional Habeas Corpus - Federal Prisoner (28 USC 2255) Qualified Immunity
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Apr 13 2026
7th Cir. 24-3175 Panel Decision

MARWAN MAHAJNI v. VU DO and SCOTT WOIDA

The Seventh Circuit dismissed an appeal challenging a district court's denial of qualified immunity because the lower court's ruling was not a final adjudication. The appellate court held that the district court's decision to deny immunity without prejudice and invite further arguments at summary judgment did not satisfy the collateral order doctrine.

Appellate Jurisdiction Civil Rights - Section 1983 Criminal Qualified Immunity
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Apr 13 2026
5th Cir. 25-30016 Panel Decision

Alexander v. Arceneaux

The Fifth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for police officers, holding that their seizure of unlisted electronics fell within the Fourth Amendment's plain view doctrine. The court found that specific tips regarding stolen goods, combined with the items' suspicious packaging and location, provided probable cause to believe the property was contraband.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Fourth Amendment - Search & Seizure Qualified Immunity
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Apr 13 2026
4th Cir. 24-2237 Panel Decision

JEFFERY PAYNE v. SGT. JOSHUA MOSER

The Fourth Circuit vacated summary judgment in a Fourth Amendment excessive force case, holding that genuine disputes of material fact exist regarding the reasonableness of a vehicle ramming and shooting. The court ruled that a reasonable jury could find the force used was not objectively justified given the suspect was unarmed and the circumstances did not pose an immediate threat.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Fourth Amendment - Search & Seizure Qualified Immunity
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Apr 10 2026
6th Cir. 24-1876 Published

DAVID LOVELL, as Personal Representative of the Estate of Chase Lovell v. COUNTY OF KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN, et al LINDSEY O'NEIL; INTEGRATED SERVICES OF KALAMAZOO, a political subd...

The Sixth Circuit reversed the denial of qualified immunity for a jail mental-health official who ordered a compromise placement for a suicidal detainee. The court held that no clearly established law prohibited her decision to balance suicide prevention with the need to reduce the detainee's mental distress.

Civil Civil Rights - Section 1983 Eighth Amendment - Cruel & Unusual Qualified Immunity
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