A Senate Republican Has Officially Come Out Against Qualified Immunity
The legal doctrine frequently allows police officers to violate your rights without fear of civil liability.
Qualified Immunity
Of Chris Rock, Cartoons, and Qualified Immunity
A Sixth Circuit panel rejects claims of qualified immunity for officers and Monell immunity for a Cleveland suburb.
7 Race-Neutral Solutions to Racially Skewed Law Enforcement
These reforms would protect all Americans while reducing racial disparities in policing.
Colorado Police Reforms Mandate Body Cameras, Strip Bad Officers of Lawsuit Immunity
The legislation rolls back regulations that have been shielding bad police from accountability.
Why Bad Cops Aren't Punished: The Case Against Qualified Immunity
Police officers shouldn't be above the law.
How Police Reform Bills in Congress Compare
Everybody is talking about changing law enforcement, but not all proposals are equally worthy—or serious.
'Without Police, There Is Chaos': Trump Signs Police Reform Executive Order
It does not touch qualified immunity or police unions.
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.
The Former Cop Who Killed George Floyd Will Get $50K Annual Pension Even if Convicted of Murder
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.
Criminal Justice Divides the 'Conservative' Judiciary
Pundits often speak of the judiciary in terms of liberal or conservative judges issuing liberal or conservative opinions. The reality is far more complicated.
A Cop Shot a 10-Year-Old and Got Qualified Immunity. Tom Brady and 1,400 Other Pro Athletes Want To Fix That.
Citing work from Reason, players and coaches from the NFL, NBA, and MLB are urging Congress to end qualified immunity.
With 1 Republican Cosponsor, Rep. Justin Amash Gains Tripartisan Support To End Qualified Immunity
Rep. Tom McClintock (R–Calif.) announced he will support the Ending Qualified Immunity Act.
Will the Cops Who Killed Kenneth Chamberlain After Illegally Breaking Into His Apartment Ever Be Held Accountable?
Responding to a medical alert they knew was erroneous, White Plains officers killed the man they supposedly were trying to help.
Cops Who Shot Homeless Man 22 Times While He Lay on the Ground Are Not Protected by Qualified Immunity, Appeals Court Rules
It's a perverse kind of progress, but it's progress all the same.
These Judges Defend Qualified Immunity as 'a Deferential Rule' That Protects the Police
“Officers don’t have the time to pull out law books and analyze the fine points of judicial precedent.”
Senate Republican Police 'Reforms' Won't Touch Qualified Immunity
With Trump opposed too, there's little hope that a serious police reform bill will get through Congress anytime soon.
Cops Who Allegedly Assaulted and Arrested a Man for Standing Outside His Own House Are Protected by Qualified Immunity
The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals' decision is "a precedent-setting error of exceptional public importance," writes dissenting judge.
It's Time to End Qualified Immunity for College Administrators, Too
The doctrine lets courts allow public universities to get away with eroding their students’ speech rights.
Maybe Cops Should Be 'Pulling Back'
Abolishing qualified immunity is a crucial step in holding police accountable for violating our rights.
'Defund the Police' Should Include Federal Cops Too
Federal spending on policing has quadrupled since the 1980s, while state and local spending has increased by about one-third.
The Attorney General's Overblown Fears About Scrapping Qualified Immunity
It's not likely to have the chilling effect he expects. Unfortunately, it might not do as much as criminal justice reformers expect either.
Rep. Justin Amash Wants To End Qualified Immunity. Where Are the Republicans?
The GOP claims to be the party of freedom. If that's true, they should rethink policies that embolden bad police behavior.
5 Ways to Curtail Police Violence and Prevent More Deaths Like George Floyd's
From tighter use-of-force rules to eliminating qualified immunity, here are some reforms that could make a real difference.
Videos Show Police Aggression Against Protesters Across the Country. Here Are Two Ways To Help It Stop.
Plus: the return of the "outside agitator" narrative, Trump can't designate Antifa a terror group, and more...
How to Curb Police Abuses—And How Not to
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.
Police Unions and the Problem of Police Misconduct (Updated)
The available evidence suggests that police unions are a major obstacle to holding rogue police officers accountable.
The Supreme Court Has a Chance To End Qualified Immunity and Prevent Cases Like George Floyd's
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.
Two Cops Were Given Qualified Immunity After Allegedly Stealing $225,000. SCOTUS Won't Hear the Case.
But the high court may consider other cases that could overturn the outrageous legal doctrine.
Will SCOTUS Revoke Its License for Police Abuse?
This week the justices are considering 13 petitions involving the pernicious doctrine of qualified immunity.
How Supreme Court Doctrine Protects Cops Who Kill (or Otherwise Use Excessive Force)
A Reuters report suggests changes in qualified immunity doctrine have immunized police officers sued for misconduct.
Courts Grant Qualified Immunity to Cops in More Than Half of Cases When Invoked
A Reuters investigation reveals courts "growing tendency" to grant cops immunity from civil rights lawsuits.
Can Police Task Forces Play Jurisdiction Games To Avoid Liability for Misconduct?
An innocent man was beaten up by a local police detective and an FBI agent. No one wants to take responsibility.
A Qualified Immunity Case That the Federal Courts Got Right
Fatal police shootings and the Fourth Amendment
Trump Confuses Nation With COVID-19 Address
Plus: A second person appears to be cured of HIV, cops can destroy your home for no reason and refuse to pay, and more...
A Michigan Police Task Force Is Playing Jurisdiction Games To Avoid Compensating an Innocent Man Cops Put in the Hospital
The Institute for Justice calls on the Supreme Court to put a stop to it.
6th Circuit: This Man Can Sue the Cop Who Arrested Him for Defending His Daughter Against a Feral Cat
Dwain Barton says Officer Dean Vann illegally entered his home and used excessive force while arresting him without probable cause.
Louisiana Prosecutors Say They Can't Be Sued Over the Fake Subpoenas They Used To Pressure Witnesses Into Testifying
In several cases, victims received higher bonds than criminal defendants and were forced to serve jail time.
Does Letting Police Enter Your House Give Them Permission To Wreck It?
The Institute for Justice asks the Supreme Court to clarify a doctrine that shields cops from responsibility for outrageous conduct.
The Case for Creating "Constitutional Small Claims Courts"
Clark Neily's excellent proposal for addressing small, but troubling politice violations of constitutional rights.
Judge Says Cops Need Qualified Immunity To 'Stop Mass Shootings'
In fact, the legal doctrine lets cops to get away with outrageous conduct.
Prison Guard Who Hid While Inmate Raped a Nurse Cannot Be Sued, Federal Court Rules
The 7th Circuit said the guard is protected by qualified immunity.
A License for Outrageous Police Conduct
Qualified immunity protects cops from liability for actions that would land ordinary people in jail.
Cops Accused of Stealing Over $225,000 Can't Be Sued, Thanks to Qualified Immunity
A court ruled that officers did not have enough information to know whether or not stealing violates the Constitution.
Appeals Court Rejects Qualified Immunity Claim by Dallas Transit Cop Who Arrested a Photographer for Taking Pictures
Officer Stephanie Branch arrested Avi Adelman for criminal trespass even though he was not doing anything illegal.
Imagining a World Without Qualified Immunity, Part V
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.
Imagining a World Without Qualified Immunity, Part III
Eliminating qualified immunity would decrease the average cost, complexity, and time spent adjudicating civil rights cases.
Imagining a World Without Qualified Immunity, Part II
Absent qualified immunity, the rate at which plaintiffs win would remain about the same.
Imagining a World Without Qualified Immunity, Part I
What impact would abolishing qualified immunity have on civil rights litigation, police misconduct, and government accountability?
