Case law

Chen v. District of Columbia

District Court, District of Columbia · Sep 9, 2011

were clearly established at the time the action was taken” (internal quotation marks and citation omitted)). … A defendant’s entitlement to qualified immunity is a question of law to be decided by the court, see id., although sometimes, as in this case, the facts establishing what the challenged conduct was are legitimately in dispute

Sueiro Vazquez v. Torregrosa De La Rosa

494 F.3d 227 · Court of Appeals for the First Circuit · Jul 19, 2007

clearly established rights of the plaintiffs. … For example, in Borges Colón, an advice of counsel defense failed to establish qualified immunity.

Vermette v. Ludwig

707 So. 2d 742 · District Court of Appeal of Florida · Dec 10, 1997

As to the § 1983 claims, the officers grounded their summary judgment motion on an assertion of qualified immunity from suit. … If the public official's conduct did not violate a clearly established statutory or constitutional right, the official is immune." Stephens, 702 So.2d at 526 .

66 Fair empl.prac.cas. (Bna) 290, 65 Empl. Prac. Dec. P 43,347 Susan A. Bator v. State of Hawaii, and Carolyn M. Kainuma, in Her Individual Capacity Warren T. Asaeda, in His Individual Capacity

39 F.3d 1021 · Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit · Nov 8, 1994

right to be free of harassment that is motivated by gender. 28 Qualified immunity protects state officials from section 1983 liability if their conduct does not violate "clearly established statutory or constitutional rights … The defendants argue, however, that they are entitled to qualified immunity because the constitutional right to be free of sexual harassment was not clearly established during the period of Bator's employment.

Fuchilla v. Prockop

682 F. Supp. 247 · District Court, D. New Jersey · Oct 13, 1987

If the law prohibiting the official act was clearly established then “a reasonably competent public official” should have known of it and the qualified immunity defense “should ordinarily fail” unless the official claims … If, however, the law was not clearly established, the defendant will be immune unless the plaintiff can show that the defendant actually knew that he was violating the law.

Dan Turner and Henry Bonaparte v. Troy Perry

Texas Court of Appeals, 14th District (Houston) · Jan 27, 2009

Qualified Immunity Qualified immunity protects governmental officials performing discretionary functions from suit if their actions were objectively reasonable in the light of then clearly-established law. Anderson v. … Appellants contend that they nevertheless are entitled to qualified immunity because they did not violate a clearly established right protecting Perry = s speech.

Assance v. Lincoln County

District Court, D. Montana · Feb 11, 2025

Holzer’s argument for qualified immunity was denied because clearly established law prohibited him from shooting an erratically behaving individual that did not pose an immediate threat to either himself or others. … Compare with Wilkins, 350 F.3d at 955 (rejecting qualified immunity appeal due to factual dispute where “there is no question whether the officers’ actions .. . violated clearly established law”) and Toscano v.

Kenneth Hunter v. Town of Mocksville, North Caro

789 F.3d 389 · Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit · Jun 15, 2015

To successfully avail themselves of qualified immunity, Defendants must show either that no constitutional violation occurred or that the right violated was not clearly established at the timé it was violated. Id. … Qualified immunity shields government officials “who commit constitutional violations but who, in light of clearly established law, could reasonably believe that their actions were lawful.” Henry, 652 F.3d at 531 .

Lisa Haberthur v. City of Raymore

Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit · Jul 11, 1997

violation of the substantive due process right to bodily integrity or privacy, and the courts of appeal have recognized that the right may be 4 The Supreme Court has recently discussed what is needed to establish … Ramirez, 967 F.2d 1413, 1415-16 (9th Cir. 1992) (parole officer not entitled to qualified immunity for depriving woman of clearly established due process right to bodily privacy by entering a bathroom stall and watching her

Hokamp, Pamela v. Blevins, Erman

District Court, W.D. Wisconsin · Jun 6, 2024

Milwaukee Cnty., 44 F.4th 605, 620 (7th Cir. 2022) (“Qualified immunity shields state actors from liability where their conduct does not violate clearly established . . . constitutional rights . . . .”). … The plaintiff bears the burden of defeating the defendant’s claim to qualified immunity. Taylor v.

Ghaith v. Rauschenberger

778 F. Supp. 2d 787 · District Court, E.D. Michigan · Mar 10, 2011

“Qualified immunity provides ‘that government officials performing discretionary functions generally are shielded from liability for civil damages insofar as their conduct does not violate clearly established statutory or … “was clearly established at the time of defendant’s alleged misconduct.”

Wood v. Bailey (MAG+)

District Court, M.D. Alabama · Aug 5, 2022

“Qualified immunity offers complete protection for individual government officials performing discretionary functions ‘insofar as their conduct does not violate clearly established statutory or constitutional … Wheeler, 843 F.3d 473, 480 (11th Cir. 2016) (“Qualified Immunity shields public officials from liability for civil damages when their conduct does not violate a constitutional right that was clearly established at the

Edwards v. Oliver

31 F.4th 925 · Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit · Apr 19, 2022

“But, to overcome qualified immunity, the plaintiff’s version of those disputed facts must also constitute a violation of clearly established law.” Id. … And even putting all of this aside, one central problem remains: To overcome qualified immunity, Plaintiffs (and the panel majority) must demonstrate that the constitutional violation here was clearly established.

Margheim v. Buljko

855 F.3d 1077 · Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit · Apr 28, 2017

clearly established law.” … Having established that Mr. Margheim failed to make out a constitutional violation, we need not address the clearly established law inquiry of the qualified immunity analysis.

Torchinsky v. Siwinski

942 F.2d 257 · Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit · Aug 9, 1991

The basic purposes of qualified immunity bear repeating. … This objective test involves an inquiry into whether a government official has violated “clearly established statutory or constitutional rights of which a reasonable person would have known.” Harlow v.

Mick v. Brewer

76 F.3d 1127 · Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit · Feb 20, 1996

Turning to the merits, “[qualified immunity protects public officials from individual liability in a § 1983 action unless the officials violated ‘clearly established ... constitutional rights of which a reasonable person … If the district court denies the defendant qualified immunity, the court should identify on the record the defendant’s conduct that violated clearly established law. Albright, 51 F.3d at 1535 .

Estate of Miller, Ex Rel. Bertram v. Tobiasz

680 F.3d 984 · Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit · May 24, 2012

Qualified immunity protects government officials from individual liability for actions taken while performing discretionary functions, unless their conduct violates clearly established statutory or con *989 stitutional rights … qualified immunity analysis; that the constitutional right must be clearly established.

Williams v. Mehra

186 F.3d 685 · Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit · Aug 4, 1999

“Mitchell clearly establishes that an order rejecting the defense of qualified immunity at either the dismissal stage or the summary-judgment stage is a ‘final’ judgment subject to immediate appeal.” Behrens v. … Qualified Immunity “Government officials performing discretionary functions generally are shielded from liability for civil damages insofar as their conduct does not violate clearly established statutory or constitutional

Randell v. Davis

986 F.2d 1419 · Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit · Feb 17, 1993

Reichle v. Howards

566 U.S. 658 · Supreme Court of the United States · Jun 4, 2012

Judge Paul Kelly dissented from the court’s denial of qualified immunity. … S. 223, 236 (2009), we held that courts may grant qualified immunity on the ground that a purported right was not “clearly established” by prior case law, without resolving the often more difficult question whether the purported