The Cops Who Sicced a Dog on a Surrendered Suspect Got Qualified Immunity. SCOTUS Won't Hear the Case.
"I have previously expressed my doubts about our qualified immunity jurisprudence," writes Associate Justice Clarence Thomas in a dissent.
"I have previously expressed my doubts about our qualified immunity jurisprudence," writes Associate Justice Clarence Thomas in a dissent.
The family of George Floyd probably won't be able to successfully sue Derek Chauvin in civil court because of qualified immunity, but they will help pay for the killer cop's retirement.
Pundits often speak of the judiciary in terms of liberal or conservative judges issuing liberal or conservative opinions. The reality is far more complicated.
Citing work from Reason, players and coaches from the NFL, NBA, and MLB are urging Congress to end qualified immunity.
Rep. Tom McClintock (R–Calif.) announced he will support the Ending Qualified Immunity Act.
Responding to a medical alert they knew was erroneous, White Plains officers killed the man they supposedly were trying to help.
It's a perverse kind of progress, but it's progress all the same.
“Officers don’t have the time to pull out law books and analyze the fine points of judicial precedent.”
With Trump opposed too, there's little hope that a serious police reform bill will get through Congress anytime soon.
The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals' decision is "a precedent-setting error of exceptional public importance," writes dissenting judge.
The doctrine lets courts allow public universities to get away with eroding their students’ speech rights.
Abolishing qualified immunity is a crucial step in holding police accountable for violating our rights.
Federal spending on policing has quadrupled since the 1980s, while state and local spending has increased by about one-third.
It's not likely to have the chilling effect he expects. Unfortunately, it might not do as much as criminal justice reformers expect either.
The GOP claims to be the party of freedom. If that's true, they should rethink policies that embolden bad police behavior.
From tighter use-of-force rules to eliminating qualified immunity, here are some reforms that could make a real difference.
Plus: the return of the "outside agitator" narrative, Trump can't designate Antifa a terror group, and more...
Much can and must be done to curb police brutality. The task is difficult, but far from hopeless. But riots and looting are both wrong in themselves, and likely to have counterproductive results.
The available evidence suggests that police unions are a major obstacle to holding rogue police officers accountable.
The Supreme Court could announce as early as Monday that it's revisiting qualified immunity, a doctrine that shields rotten cops from civil rights lawsuits.
But the high court may consider other cases that could overturn the outrageous legal doctrine.
This week the justices are considering 13 petitions involving the pernicious doctrine of qualified immunity.
A Reuters report suggests changes in qualified immunity doctrine have immunized police officers sued for misconduct.
A Reuters investigation reveals courts "growing tendency" to grant cops immunity from civil rights lawsuits.
An innocent man was beaten up by a local police detective and an FBI agent. No one wants to take responsibility.
Fatal police shootings and the Fourth Amendment
Plus: A second person appears to be cured of HIV, cops can destroy your home for no reason and refuse to pay, and more...
The Institute for Justice calls on the Supreme Court to put a stop to it.
Dwain Barton says Officer Dean Vann illegally entered his home and used excessive force while arresting him without probable cause.
In several cases, victims received higher bonds than criminal defendants and were forced to serve jail time.
The Institute for Justice asks the Supreme Court to clarify a doctrine that shields cops from responsibility for outrageous conduct.
Clark Neily's excellent proposal for addressing small, but troubling politice violations of constitutional rights.
In fact, the legal doctrine lets cops to get away with outrageous conduct.
The 7th Circuit said the guard is protected by qualified immunity.
Qualified immunity protects cops from liability for actions that would land ordinary people in jail.
A court ruled that officers did not have enough information to know whether or not stealing violates the Constitution.
Officer Stephanie Branch arrested Avi Adelman for criminal trespass even though he was not doing anything illegal.
Absent qualified immunity, government indemnification and budgeting would continue to dampen the effect of lawsuits on government decisionmaking—but eliminating the defense could exert other pressures on government to improve.
Eliminating qualified immunity would decrease the average cost, complexity, and time spent adjudicating civil rights cases.
Absent qualified immunity, the rate at which plaintiffs win would remain about the same.
What impact would abolishing qualified immunity have on civil rights litigation, police misconduct, and government accountability?
An outcome that's all too rare. Former police officer Matthew Johns attacked a suspect in September 2016, leaving the teen unconscious and with a severe concussion.
The ruling once again shows the legal disgrace that is qualified immunity.
"No reasonable officer would engage in such recklessness," complains dissenting judge.
The ACLU wants the Supreme Court to revisit the notorious qualified immunity doctrine.
A debate today with Professor Chris Walker
Cases in which a majority of the Court fell down on the job.