Case law

Anthony Camarca v. City of Covington Police Dep't

Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit · Feb 4, 2026

“To overcome qualified immunity,” Camarca must show that the individual officers “(1) violated a constitutional right that was (2) clearly established.” VanPelt v. City of Detroit, 70 F.4th 338, 340 (6th Cir. 2023). … Nor has Camarca pointed to any case that clearly establishes otherwise. As the district court noted, that failure independently forecloses his claim under qualified immunity caselaw.

Paul Blanton v. Matthew Histed

Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit · Oct 24, 2025

was not clearly established. … Blanton next challenges the district court’s resolution of his free-exercise claim and its conclusion that qualified immunity applies to the defendants. The defense of qualified immunity has two familiar components.

Karen Waeschle v. Ljubisa Dragovic

Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit · Aug 14, 2009

The court also found that Dragovic was not entitled to qualified immunity because the quasi-property interest was “clearly established” and because the Medical Examiner “reasonably should have known” that he was violating … Qualified immunity is applicable unless the official’s conduct violated a clearly established constitutional right. Id. (citation omitted).

Pearlie Jackson v. Washtenaw Cnty.

678 F. App'x 302 · Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit · Jan 31, 2017

Where a suspect has refused to follow police orders and may be in possession of a weapon, we have determined there is no clearly established right to resist that can defeat qualified immunity. See Watson v. … Given these factors and the immediacy of the potential danger to Urban, we cannot say that the first Taser deployment- violated a clearly established right. The second tasing occurred just under four minutes later.

Robert E. Maddox, III v. University of Tennessee University of Tennessee Board of Trustees Doug A. Dickey

62 F.3d 843 · Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit · Aug 21, 1995

Hosp., Inc., 994 F.2d 1178, 1183 (6th Cir.1993)(Nelson, J., concurring) (“The plaintiff was clearly suspended because of his intolerable conduct, and not solely because of his mental condition.”). … These provisions clearly contemplate distinguishing the issue of misconduct from one’s status as an alcoholic.

South Macomb Disposal Authority v. Township of Washington

790 F.2d 500 · Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit · May 13, 1986

the jurisdiction” of the United States. 7 *503 A private corporation is clearly a “person” within the meaning of the Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses, Grosjean v. … Similarly, “it clearly does not follow from the fact that a 1983 plaintiff is an ‘other person’ that a 1983 cause of action is stated.” S. Nahmod, supra, § 1.07, at 8.

American Postal Workers Union, Columbus Area Local Afl-Cio v. United States Postal Service

871 F.2d 556 · Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit · Mar 27, 1989

The district court further concluded that the individually named defendants were not liable for monetary damages under the affirmative defense of qualified immunity. See, e.g., Anderson v. … It is well settled that a district court's factual findings may be overturned upon review only if they are clearly erroneous.

Gambrel v. Kentucky Board of Dentistry

689 F.2d 612 · Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit · Sep 24, 1982

Indeed, we believe the Board of Dentistry’s interpretation of the statute is clearly correct. … We need not reach this question, since the specific policy at issue in this case is clearly expressed in the state statute itself.

MITCHELL v. McNEIL

487 F.3d 374 · Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit · May 15, 2007

Katz, 533 U.S. 194 , 121 S.Ct. 2151 , 150 L.Ed.2d 272 (2001), government officials sued in their individual capacities may be held liable under § 1983 when they violate constitutional rights that are "clearly established, … In the absence of a cognizable claim, they have no right to any discovery—whether the claim arises in the context of qualified immunity (as here) or not. III. 21 For these reasons, we affirm.

Charles v. Baesler

910 F.2d 1349 · Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit · Aug 14, 1990

The court below additionally ruled that qualified immunity protected Baesler and Cooke from individual liability, and that punitive damages against Baesler were not appropriate. … immunity and punitive damages rulings.

Jerauld Ex Rel. Robinson v. Carl

405 F. App'x 970 · Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit · Dec 30, 2010

does not violate clearly established statutory or constitutional rights of which a reasonable person would have known.’” … We must also consider “whether that [constitutional] right was clearly established” at the time of the violation. Id. at 702.

Junior Blackston v. Lloyd Rapelje

769 F.3d 411 · Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit · Oct 7, 2014

The state’s arguments against the existence of clearly established law are unconvincing. The state challenges the existence of clearly established confrontation law. … That tension arises within the context of a clearly established legal landscape.

Robert Garceau v. City of Flint

572 F. App'x 369 · Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit · Jul 11, 2014

or (2) that any right violated had not been clearly established at the time of the violation. … “[A]llegedly racially discriminatory policies involve[] a matter of public concern,” Connick, 461 U.S. at 146, a clearly and well-established principle.

Irvin v. United States

845 F.2d 126 · Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit · Apr 27, 1988

In failing to have Mildred Irvin examined and treated by qualified medical personnel; E. In failing to reclassify Mildred Irvin’s medical condition as urgent; and F. … The Court reasoned as follows: Clearly, the first factor considered in Feres operates with equal force in this case.

Janie L. Haskins v. United States Department of the Army

808 F.2d 1192 · Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit · Jan 8, 1987

On October 18, 1979, the selection panel concluded that appellant was “Highly Qualified” for the position and two of the other candidates were “Best Qualified.” … Under the Plan, only candidates who were ranked Best Qualified could be considered in the final selection process.

Jermaine Sutton v. Metro Gov't of Nashville

612 F. App'x 308 · Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit · May 14, 2015

The district court rejected Martin’s alternative argument that he was entitled to qualified immunity. … The court held that the law was clearly established and denied qualified immunity for a second time. Id. 3.

Mineer v. Call

993 F.2d 1547 · Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit · May 4, 1993

Judge Call cannot claim qualified immunity because he totally disregarded clearly established procedures set forth by statute. II. … If, as Call alleges, Mineer's term of office expired contemporaneously with that of the administration that hired him, Mineer had no clearly established property interest in his further employment, 1 and qualified immunity

Geomatrix, LLC v. NSF Int'l

82 F.4th 466 · Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit · Sep 12, 2023

Indeed, Geomatrix’s decision to relinquish its certification also qualifies as a “self-inflicted injury,” and such injuries fail “the second standing prerequisite, traceability.” Buchholz v. … The state courts’ broad view also conflicts with established Michigan law in other areas.

Timothy Hutten v. Lt. Ricky Knight

521 F. App'x 417 · Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit · Apr 3, 2013

The officers asserted qualified immunity. … Hutten and both the Fourth and First Amendment rights were clearly established.

Connie McCoy Clark v. Billie J. Upchurch Cheryl Jordan Ball

955 F.2d 44 · Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit · Feb 13, 1992

legal rules that were 'clearly established' at the time it was taken." … We must disagree, however, with the judge's suggestion that the entitlement to qualified immunity is a jury question.