A forensic scientist enjoyed absolute judicial immunity in a lawsuit brought by a wrongly convicted man who claimed the DNA evidence in his case had been mishandled, a U.S. District Court in New York has ruled in granting a dismissal.

Tagged with: civil rights DNA §1983

Three African-American couples couldn’t show that their home lender imposed certain conditions on their mortgages for discriminatory reasons, the 3rd Circuit has ruled in affirming a summary judgment.

Tagged with: civil rights direct evidence McDonnell Douglas mortgage lending pretext race discrimination Wachovia §1981

A former FBI informant who infiltrated a Southern California mosque has revised his lawsuit against the U.S. government and a local police department, saying they violated his civil rights and were negligent.

Tagged with: California civil rights informant negligence

This term the U.S. Supreme Court will take on issues ranging from the ability to file suit in matters involving arbitration clauses or federal regulations, to retaliation and privacy issues in employment law, to major criminal law and civil rights questions.

Tagged with: arbitration civil rights Criminal Law Employment Law preemption retaliation Supreme Court

Wheelchair-bound residents could not sue a city over inaccessible curbs, sidewalks and parking lots without showing that the barriers denied them access to actual “services” protected under federal disability discrimination law, the 5th Circuit has ruled.

Tagged with: AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT civil rights

Police violated the Fourth Amendment when they executed an “all firearms” search warrant when seeking a specifically identifiable shotgun used in an alleged spousal assault, the en banc 9th Circuit has ruled in affirming judgment.

Tagged with: civil rights Fourth Amendment search and seizure §1983

Warren Wallace, a former dean with the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey who was fired during a federal investigation, has received a $60,000 legal settlement after claiming UMDNJ discriminated against him.

Tagged with: civil rights New Jersey racial discimination wrongful termination

The Minneapolis, Minn. city attorney’s office has decided to pay $165,000 to settle a federal lawsuit seven people filed after they were arrested and jailed for two days for dressing up like zombies in downtown Minneapolis in 2006 to protest “mindless ...

Tagged with: civil rights Minnesota protest wrongful imprisonment

A man who was exonerated after being wrongfully convicted of murder can sue the officers who investigated the case and withheld critical information for malicious prosecution, the 6th Circuit has ruled.

Tagged with: Brady civil rights malicious prosecution

An evaluating physician may testify telephonically in a civil commitment proceeding without violating a patient’s due process rights, the Arizona Supreme Court has ruled in reversing an order vacating the patient’s commitment.

Tagged with: civil rights Fourth Amendment