She Was Jailed for Basic Journalism. A Federal Court Isn't Sure if That's Unconstitutional.
Priscilla Villarreal's case will be heard again tomorrow at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit. She has attracted some unlikely supporters.
Qualified Immunity
Crime Squad 4: Weather, Tires, Furniture, & Qualified Immunity
Enforcing all the laws, all the time.
Absolute Immunity Puts Prosecutors Above the Law
By giving powerful law enforcement officials absolute immunity from civil liability, the Supreme Court leaves their victims with no recourse.
This Mom Was Jailed for Leaving Her Teen Home Alone. Now, She's Suing.
An appeals court rejected a qualified immunity defense.
This Court Case Could Make It a Crime To Be a Journalist in Texas
Priscilla Villarreal found herself in a jail cell for publishing two routine stories. A federal court still can't decide what to do about that.
The Babylon Bee Joins The Onion in Decrying an Ohio Law That Makes Parody a Felony
The two fake news organizations want the Supreme Court to review the case of a man who was arrested for making fun of the police.
Woman Can Sue Alabama Cops for Towing Car as Part of Town's Profiteering Scheme
A federal judge denied qualified immunity for officers accused of making up charges to get money from fines.
What Happens When a County Employee Acts Like a Police Officer?
A highway engineer got qualified immunity for detaining drivers—despite not being a cop.
Is a War on Policing Increasing Crime? Q&A with Rafael Mangual
In Criminal (In)Justice, the Manhattan Institute scholar argues that most reforms favored by social justice activists—and many libertarians—make life worse for communities of color.
Is a War on Policing Increasing Crime? Q&A with Rafael Mangual
In Criminal (In)Justice, the Manhattan Institute scholar argues that most reforms favored by social justice activists—and many libertarians—make life worse for communities of color.
Mocking the Police Is Not a Crime
A First Amendment case prompts The Onion to explain how parody works.
A Parodist Asks SCOTUS To Let Him Sue the Cops Who Arrested Him for Making Fun of Them
The 6th Circuit ruled that qualified immunity prevented Anthony Novak from vindicating his First Amendment rights.
Which Is More Scandalous: The Training for Armed Teachers or the Training for Police Officers?
On average, the minimum requirement for cops is about 650 hours, compared to about 1,300 hours for barbers.
'Night of Terror': Lawsuit Alleges Female Inmates Were Sexually Assaulted for Hours in Indiana Jail
The lawsuit claims that a correctional officer gave male inmates the key to women's housing after accepting a $1,000 bribe.
This Appeal Asks the Supreme Court To Reject Warrantless Gun Seizures Justified by 'Special Needs'
The Institute for Justice urges SCOTUS to renounce that open-ended exception to the Fourth Amendment.
Yet Another Court Affirms the First Amendment Right To Record Police
The Supreme Court still refuses to weigh in on the issue.
America's Founders Raged Against Qualified Immunity, Trade Restrictions, and Anti-Immigrant Policies
Hey, we're still mad about those things today!
Supreme Court Makes It Effectively Impossible To Sue Federal Cops, Smashing a 51-Year-Old Precedent
A federal badge will now serve as an impenetrable shield against civil liability.
Qualifying Qualified Immunity: The Cases in Which the Fair Notice Rationale Clearly Supports …
and clearly does not support qualified immunity.
Qualifying Qualified Immunity: Why Constitutional Liability Is Generally Less Fair …
than other kinds of civil liability.
He Was Targeted by Police for His Political Speech. Now, He's Suing.
William Fambrough supported the "wrong" mayoral candidate, so East Cleveland law enforcement destroyed his van and hit him with petty prosecutions.
SCOTUS Lets Tony Timpa's Family Pursue Claims Against Cops Who Killed Him While Supposedly Trying To Help Him
The lawsuit over Timpa's deadly prone restraint, initially blocked by qualified immunity, was revived by the 5th Circuit.
He Was Arrested for Criticizing the Cops. A Federal Court Says He Can Sue.
Jerry Rogers Jr. complained that police hadn't solved a murder yet—and found himself in a jail cell.
He Was Sentenced to Death After Law Enforcement Fabricated Evidence. A Federal Court Says He Can Sue.
A conservative judge expressed skepticism at the panel's conclusion before issuing a strong rebuke of prosecutorial immunity.
Cops Who Arrested Man Over Fake Facebook Page Get Qualified Immunity
Anthony Novak's arrest and subsequent lawsuit set up a debate around overcriminalization and free speech.
Cop Who Arrested High Schooler on 'Terrorizing' Charges for Class Joke Gets Qualified Immunity
A judge's blistering dissent is a reminder that this issue does not have to be a partisan one.
City Won't Pay $6 Million Awarded to Man Wrongfully Imprisoned for Decades
Plus: how a pesticide ban hurt Sri Lanka, how Japanese reality TV reveals deficiencies in American parenting, and more...
For 20 Years, This Prosecutor Had a Secret Job Working For the Judges Who'd Decide His Cases
One of Ralph Petty's victims is trying to hold him accountable, but she will have to overcome prosecutorial immunity.
The Supreme Court Says You Can Sue Cops Who Frame You on False Charges
The previous standard barring such lawsuits made “little sense," wrote Justice Brett Kavanaugh for the majority.
A Federal Judge Says a Victim of Retaliatory Prosecution Can Sue a Cop Who Treated Criticism As a Crime
An Arkansas police officer used trumped-up charges to punish a man who criticized him for violating the Constitution.
He Spent 28 Years Behind Bars for a Murder He Didn't Commit and Died Before Seeing Justice
The police officers who allegedly framed William Virgil were denied qualified immunity. But they're still trying to delay a trial.
Louisiana Supreme Court Allows Police Officer's Lawsuit Against Black Lives Matter Organizer
DeRay Mckesson didn’t cause or encourage violence against police in Baton Rouge in 2016. The court says he can still be held responsible.
The 5th Circuit Approves a Cop's Violent Response to a Dispute Over a 7-Year-Old's Littering
The officer used a "pain compliance maneuver" to force information from the boy's sister, who was recording the encounter.
An Off-Duty Cop Murdered His Ex-Wife. The California Highway Patrol Ignored the Red Flags.
When cops don't police their own, the results can be deadly.
Arizona House Committee Approves Bill To Criminalize Filming Cops on the Job
"You'll have a bunch of people who plead to avoid trial or go broke trying to vindicate their rights."
Assessing the State of the Struggle to Reform Qualified Immunity
The Institute for Justice offers a generally pessimistic appraisal of the situation under state law, but some optimism about prospects in the Supreme Court.
Appeals Court Rules Ohio Cops Didn't Have Cause To Arrest Man Wearing 'Fuck the Police' Shirt
The sheriff's deputies are also not entitled to qualified immunity because the First Amendment right to offend police has been repeatedly upheld.
There Is Nothing 'Conservative' About Letting Police Violate Our Rights
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin's support for qualified immunity is in opposition to the principles he says he stands for.
A Tiny Alabama Town Is Growing Its Police Force by Fining Everybody in Sight
Brookside officers have been accused of fabricating violations and are being sued.
Her Husband Died After Police Hogtied Him for 90 Minutes. Could She Ever Hold Them Accountable?
Kelli Goode's civil suit is a case study in how difficult it can be to get state actors to take responsibility when they allegedly infringe on someone's rights.
Tony Timpa Died After Cops Kneeled on His Back and Joked About It. A Court Says His Family Can Sue.
The officers originally received qualified immunity, meaning Timpa's estate had no right to state their case before a jury.
In 2021, Qualified Immunity Reform Died a Slow, Painful Death
Despite bipartisan momentum at the federal level, Congress still couldn't get anything over the finish line.
Cops Held Two Innocent Boys at Gunpoint, Forced Them to Lie on the Ground, Handcuffed Them, and Searched Them. That's Fine, the 8th Circuit Said.
The Institute for Justice wants the Supreme Court to review the case—and to clarify the proper scope of "investigatory stops."
A SWAT Team Blew Up This Innocent Woman's House and Cost Her Over $50,000. The City Tried To Stop Her From Suing.
A federal court wasn't having it.
Cops Thought Sand From Her Stress Ball Was Cocaine. She Spent Nearly 6 Months in Jail.
And now an appeals court has ruled the cops who arrested her aren't entitled to qualified immunity from her lawsuit.
Cop Kills 8-Year-Old Girl; Two Teens Charged With Her Murder
Fanta Bility's death has revived an under-the-radar debate about the doctrine of transferred intent.