Even if Laredo cops punished Priscilla Villarreal for constitutionally protected speech, the appeals court says, they would be protected by qualified immunity.
The 9th Circuit revived a First Amendment lawsuit by Lars Jensen, who says his community college punished him for complaining about dumbed-down courses.
The message that public officials are required to follow the law, even if they disagree with it, does not seem to have gotten through.
The cops tried to cover up their mistake after they "terrorized" the family, according to a lawsuit.
Whether or not a reasonable police officer violates clearly established law when he declines to check the features and address of his target house before raiding it is thus still up for debate.
The Cato Institute is urging the Supreme Court to take up the case and reaffirm that the liability shield does not apply to "obvious rights violations."
Houston police "initiated a high-speed chase to pursue a suspect evading arrest for paying $40 to solicit sexual activity from another adult," notes a Texas Supreme Court judge.
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Desiree Martinez says police officers ignored her attempts to report her abusive boyfriend, who was also a cop. Those officers now have immunity from her lawsuit.
Coercing defendants into plea deals is poor training for convincing people to vote for you.
Former cop Julian Alcala allegedly stole a woman's nude pictures after he took her phone during a traffic stop.
A federal judge rejected the officers' claims of qualified immunity.
Officials allegedly retaliated against a professor who expressed politically controversial statements about the best treatments for gender dysphoria among youth.
Priscilla Villarreal, known as "Lagordiloca," is suing law enforcement for violating her First Amendment rights. She is appealing to the Supreme Court.
"Roast[ing]" police officers may not generally be wise, but it is still generally constitutionally protected.
South Carolina's Operation Rolling Thunder targets cash and contraband but harasses guilty and innocent travelers alike.
Thus far, the courts have barred Curtrina Martin from asking a jury for damages. She is appealing to the Supreme Court.
An uneven playing field allows the aggressive tactics and legal loopholes that turn traffic stops into cash grabs.
Routine searches of commercial buses violate privacy, target low-income passengers, and result in widespread violations.
No arrest necessary as South Carolina police hunt for cash
A 21-month legal battle unveils the dark side of South Carolina's annual traffic crackdown.
Donald Trump pledged to give cops "immunity from prosecution." The idea is both legally illiterate and dangerous.
Officers should have known that handcuffing a compliant 10-year-old is unnecessary, the court ruled.
The decision clears the way for a jury to consider Megan and Adam McMurry's constitutional claims against the officers who snatched their daughter.
An ideologically diverse mix of individuals and organizations supports a Texas journalist who was arrested for asking questions.
Justin Pulliam's arrest and lawsuit once again demand we ask if "real" journalists are entitled to a different set of rights.
Since he favors aggressive drug law enforcement, severe penalties, and impunity for abusive police officers, he may have trouble persuading black voters that he is on their side.
Judge Carlton Reeves ripped apart the legal doctrine in his latest decision on the matter.
Prosecutor Ralph Petty was also employed as a law clerk—by the same judges he argued before.
The pledge, while mostly legally illiterate, offers a reminder of the former president's outlook on government accountability.
Priscilla Villarreal is appealing a 5th Circuit decision that dismissed her First Amendment lawsuit against Laredo police and prosecutors.
The local prosecuting attorney in Sunflower, Mississippi, is seeking to take away Nakala Murry's three children.
The officers are avoiding accountability after getting qualified immunity.
The legal victory has been attributed to a 2020 law banning qualified immunity for police in Colorado.
An analysis of appeals involving the doctrine finds that less than a quarter "fit the popular conception of police accused of excessive force."
R. Anthony Rupp III was cited and detained after he called a police officer an "asshole" after the cop nearly drove into two pedestrians.
A federal judge allowed a lawsuit against the officers to proceed, finding evidence of several constitutional violations.
The verdict vindicates the constitutional rights that Louisiana sheriff's deputies flagrantly violated when they hauled Waylon Bailey off to jail.
The appeals court dismissed a civil rights lawsuit by a Laredo gadfly who was arrested for asking questions.
Priscilla Villarreal, also known as "Lagordiloca," has sparked a debate about free speech and who, exactly, is a journalist.
His understanding of effective leadership and policing should repel anyone who cares about civil liberties and the rule of law.
Qualified immunity is a badly flawed doctrine the Supreme Court should abolish. But Trump's demands are much more extreme.
Republican Presidential Nomination
Plus: Javier Milei’s powerful speech on economic prosperity in Davos
The former president argues that accountability is the enemy of effectiveness, both for cops and for politicians.
Plus: Libertarian populism, library wars, Latin American soft power, and more...
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