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Officers may be liable for use of dog to subdue driver 

Published: January 19, 2012

Tags: civil rights, Excessive Force, Fourth Amendment, qualified immunity, §1983

A driver could proceed with an excessive force lawsuit against officers who allegedly allowed a police dog to bite him repeatedly after he fled from a traffic stop, the 11th Circuit has ruled in reversing judgment.

Court ponders if private lawyers get city’s immunity 

By: Kimberly Atkins
Published: January 17, 2012

Tags: attorneys, qualified immunity, sick leave, Supreme Court

WASHINGTON – On Tuesday, the justices of the U.S. Supreme Court wrangled with the question of private lawyers who work on government internal investigations have qualified immunity from civil rights lawsuits.

David E. Mills: Big win before High Court 

Published: January 9, 2012

Tags: Lawyers of the Year, Lawyers of the Year 2011, prison, qualified immunity, sexual assault

It was about 1 p.m. on a Friday afternoon when Cleveland, Ohio sole practitioner David E. Mills realized he had just a few hours to keep a case alive.

That quick action ultimately paid off when Mills won a unanimous victory in Ortiz v. Jordan.

Can cops face suit for search based on bad warrant? 

By: Kimberly Atkins
Published: December 5, 2011

Tags: qualified immunity, search and seizure, Supreme Court, §1983

WASHINGTON – The justices of the U.S. Supreme Court are searching for a standard to apply to determine whether qualified immunity protects police who conduct a search on a warrant that was facially valid, but is later invalidated because it was overbroad and pertinent information was misstated or omitted.

Officers immune from liability for ‘excessive’ Taser use 

Published: October 24, 2011

Tags: Excessive Force, Fourth Amendment, qualified immunity, Taser, §1983

Police who may have violated the Fourth Amendment by using their Tasers in an excessive manner are nonetheless entitled to immunity from civil rights claims, the en banc 9th Circuit has ruled.

Justices to decide if lawyer immune in §1983 suit 

Published: September 27, 2011

Tags: civil rights, qualified immunity, search and seizure, §1983

The U.S. Supreme Court will decide whether a private lawyer can claim qualified immunity when sued under §1983 for his actions in representing a public employer in an internal affairs investigation.

Officer faces liability for grabbing gun instead of Taser 

Published: August 26, 2011

Tags: civil rights, Excessive Force, Fourth Amendment, qualified immunity, Taser, §1983

A police officer may be liable for mistakenly shooting a suspect with a gun when she meant to subdue him with a Taser, the 9th Circuit has ruled in reversing a summary judgment.

CIVIL RIGHTS 

Published: June 28, 2011

Tags: civil rights, firearms, Fourth Amendment, qualified immunity, search and seizure, §1983

Are police officers entitled to qualified immunity in a §1983 lawsuit challenging their obtaining a facially valid warrant to search for firearms, firearm-related materials and gang-related items in the residence of a gang member who had threatened to kill his girlfriend with a specifically identifiable sawed-off shotgun?

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Justices to decide whether police acted in good faith 

Published: June 28, 2011

Tags: civil rights, firearms, Fourth Amendment, qualified immunity, search and seizure, §1983

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether  police officers are entitled to qualified immunity in a §1983 lawsuit challenging their obtaining a facially valid warrant to search for firearms, firearm-related materials and gang-related items in the residence of a gang member who had threatened to kill his girlfriend with a specifically identifiable sawed-off shotgun.

Officials entitled to immunity in privacy suit 

Published: June 20, 2011

Tags: Driver’s Privacy Protection Act, qualified immunity, tags: consumer protection

State officials at the motor vehicles office are entitled to qualified immunity in a class action brought by Ohio residents alleging their personal information was disclosed in violation of federal law, the 6th Circuit has ruled.