Amicus Curiae Brief — Janice Hughes Barnes, Individually and as Representative of the Estate of Ashtian Barnes, Deceased, Petitioner v. Roberto Felix, Jr., et al.
Supreme Court briefDec 20, 2024
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No. 23-1239
In the
Supreme Court of the United States
JANICE HUGHES BARNES, INDIVIDUALLY
AND AS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ESTATE
OF ASHTIAN BARNES, DECEASED,
Petitioner,
v.
ROBERTO FELIX, JR., et al.,
Respondents.
On Writ of Certiorari to the United States
Court of A ppeals for the Fifth Circuit
BRIEF OF AMICI CURIAE
CALIFORNIA STATE SHERIFFS’ ASSOCIATION,
CALIFORNIA POLICE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION,
AND CALIFORNIA PEACE OFFICERS’
ASSOCIATION IN SUPPORT OF RESPONDENTS
James R. Touchstone
Scott Wm. Davenport*
Richard A. Lucero
Jones & Mayer
3777 N. Harbor Blvd.
Fullerton, CA 92835
(714) 446-1400
swd@jones-mayer.com
Attorneys for Amici Curiae
California Sheriffs’ Association,
California Police Chiefs
Association, and California
Police Officers’ Association
* Counsel of Record
120151
A
(800) 274-3321 • (800) 359-6859
i
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
TABLE OF CONTENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i
TABLE OF CITED AUTHORITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
I.
INTERESTS OF AMICI CURIAE . . . . . . . . . . 1
A. California State Sheriffs’ Association . . . . . 1
B. California Police Chiefs Association . . . . . . 1
C. California Peace Officers’ Association . . . . . 2
D. Amici Curiae Interests in This Matter . . . . 2
II. STATEMENT OF THE CASE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
III. ARGUMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
A. The “Moment of Threat” Doctrine
is Constitutionally Sound and Does
Not Represent an Unconstitutional
Departure From Prior Authority . . . . . . . . 6
B. The “Moment of Threat” Doctrine
Properly Focuses on a Suspect’s
Violent or Threatening Behavior and
Preventing or Containing the Harm
from that Conduct . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
ii
Table of Contents
Page
C. Amici Hold Accountability to the
Communities they Serve as a Core
Tenet of their Organizations . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
D. The “Moment of Threat” Doctrine
Neither Increases the Instances of
Excessive Force Nor Erodes Public
T r u st ; R at he r, it R e duc e s t he
Likelihood of Harm to Victims and Law
Enforcement Officers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
E. The Universal Application of the
“Moment of Threat” Doctrine to
All Circuits Is Needed to Promote
Consistency of Outcome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
IV. CONCLUSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
iii
TABLE OF CITED AUTHORITIES
Page
Cases
Barnes v. Felix,
71 F.4th 393 (5th Cir. 2024) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Cny. of Los Angeles v. Mendez,
581 U.S. 420 (2017) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Graham v. Connor,
490 U.S. 386 (1989) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6, 7, 8
Scott v. Harris,
550 U.S. 372 (2007) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
State v. Olson,
92 Wn.2d 134, 594 P.2d 1337 (Wash. 1979) . . . . . . . . . 7
Tennessee v. Garner,
471 U.S. 1 (1985) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6, 8
Vos v. City of Newport Beach,
892 F.3d 1024 (9th Cir. 2018) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Constitutional Provisions
U.S. Const. amend. IV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6, 8
iv
Cited Authorities
Page
Statutes and Rules
42 U.S.C. § 1983 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Supreme Court Rule 37.6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1
AMICI CURIAE BRIEF
IN SUPPORT OF RESPONDENTS
I.
INTERESTS OF AMICI CURIAE1
Amici are the above Associations, whose members
make up a vast array of law enforcement officers
throughout the State of California. Amici Members
represent policy making officials, management, and
rank and file officers, providing a broad spectrum of law
enforcement viewpoints.
A.
California State Sheriffs’ Association
The California State Sheriffs’ Association (“CSSA”) is
a nonprofit professional organization that represents each
of the fifty-eight (58) California Sheriffs. It was formed to
allow the sharing of information and resources between
sheriffs and departmental personnel, in order to allow for
the general improvement of law enforcement throughout
the State of California.
B. California Police Chiefs Association
The California Police Chiefs Association (“CPCA”)
represents virtually all of the more than 400 municipal
chiefs of police in California. CPCA seeks to promote
and advance the science and art of police administration
1. No party or counsel for a party authored this brief, in
whole or in part. No person or entity other than Amici Curiae,
its members, or its counsel made any monetary contribution to
the preparation or submission of this brief. This representation is
made in compliance with Rule 37.6 of the United States Supreme
Court Rules.
2
and crime prevention, by developing and disseminating
professional administrative practices for use in the
police profession. It also furthers police cooperation and
the exchange of information and experience throughout
California.
C.
California Peace Officers’ Association
The California Peace Officers’ Association (“CPOA”)
represents more than 8,000 members who are peace
officers of all ranks throughout the State of California,
from municipal, county, state, and federal law enforcement
agencies. CPOA provides professional development and
training for peace officers, and reviews and comments on
legislation and other matters impacting law enforcement.
D.
Amici Curiae Interests in This Matter
This case raises important concerns for Amici, in that
it will determine critical issues potentially jeopardizing
the ability of Amici to intervene in dangerous situations,
negatively impact officer survival, cause confusion in law
enforcement use of force, and create a new theory for
bringing liability claims against local governments and
individual officers. Local law enforcement officers are
engaged in the primary activity of combating crimes and
frequently encounter dangerous situations and individuals.
Amici guide their conduct and agency operations by this
Court’s pronouncements, and their day-to-day lives and
those of the members of the communities they serve are
directly impacted by such decisions.
Since Amici represent the interests of a wide variety
of law enforcement, Amici provide this Court with a
valuable perspective into the potential adverse effects
3
of the rejecting the “moment of threat” doctrine on a
nationwide scale and, indeed, the benefits of applying
such a doctrine universally. The underlying issues in this
case have the potential for wide-ranging changes on use
of force evidentiary and procedural principles at trial
and also have the potential to impact important public
safety concerns and law enforcement activities for all
levels of criminal investigation and the corresponding law
enforcement response.
Given the significant ramifications of this case, Amici
respectfully submit this brief in support of Respondents.
Amici’s independent perspective on the issues presented
in this case takes into account, in particular, the fact
that the members of Amici will be tasked with the actual
implementation internally and in the field of the legal
principles that this Court will determine in this matter.
II. STATEMENT OF THE CASE
The initiating circumstances regarding this officerinvolved shooting, while tragic, are neither unique nor
uncommon. While engaged in a traffic stop based on
vehicle code violations, circumstances changed in a splitsecond when a somewhat compliant suspect suddenly
engaged in unanticipated actions which placed the officer
in grave risk of imminent harm, requiring the officer to
discharge his service weapon in self-defense.
Specifically, on April 28, 2016, Officer Roberto Felix,
Jr., initiated a lawful traffic stop of a vehicle driven by
Ashtian Barnes. Officer Felix contacted Barnes and asked
for his driver’s license and proof of insurance. Barnes
turned off the vehicle and started “digging around” inside
4
the car. At this moment, Officer Felix smelled marijuana
and asked Barnes to step out of vehicle.
At this point, Ashtian Barnes suddenly and inexplicably
turned the car back on and sharply accelerated. Finding
himself sandwiched in between Barnes’ vehicle, the
adjacent roadway divider, and the open door, Officer Felix
jumped onto the running board, drew his weapon, and
twice ordered Barnes not to move. Rather than complying,
Barnes continued accelerating with Officer Felix holding
on to the car for dear life. Officer Felix then fired his
service weapon, striking Barnes. These horrifying events
are captured on the patrol vehicle’s camera, rendering
them undisputed pursuant to Scott v. Harris, 550 U.S.
372, 380 (2007).
Barnes’ parents filed a claim under both 42 U.S.C.
§ 1983 and various state claims under Texas law. After
the case was removed to federal court, Felix moved
for summary judgment arguing that he did not violate
Barnes’ constitutional rights and was entitled to qualified
immunity. The district court granted summary judgment,
concluding that Officer Felix’s actions prior to the “moment
of threat”—including jumping on the door sill—had “no
bearing” on the use of force. See Barnes v. Felix, 71 F.4th
393, 396 (5th Cir. 2024). Thereafter, the Court affirmed
the grant of summary judgment, concluding that because
Barnes posed a threat of serious harm to Officer Felix the
moment the car began to move, Officer Felix’s use of force
was not excessive. Id.
In so ruling, the Fifth Circuit reasoned:
As the district court explained, we may only
ask whether Officer Felix was in danger “at
5
the moment of threat” that caused him to use
deadly force against Barnes.” In this circuit,
it is well-established that the excessive-force
inquiry is confined to whether the officers or
other persons were in danger at the moment of
threat that resulted in the officers’ use of deadly
force. This “moment of threat” test means that
the focus of the inquiry should be on the act that
led the officer to discharge his weapon. Any of
the officers’ actions leading up to the shooting
are not relevant for the purposes of an excessive
force inquiry in this Circuit. (Internal citations
and quotations omitted, emphasis in original)
Id. at 397.
Conc u r r i ng i n t he de c i sion , Judg e Pat r ick
Higginbotham indicated that he felt constrained by the
“moment of threat” doctrine, lamenting that under this
doctrine, the Court was constrained from considering
Officer Felix’s actions in jumping on the car’s running
board and, instead, were limited such that their sole
consideration was “the act that led the officer to discharge
his weapon” rather than “what transpired up until the
moment of shooting itself.” Id. at 399 (J. Higginbotham,
concurring).
Finally, the Fifth Circuit noted that the “moment of
threat” doctrine represented a Circuit Split followed by
the Second, Fourth, Fifth, and Eighth Circuits while the
remaining Circuits did not follow such a rule. Id. at 400 (J.
Higginbotham, concurring). This Court granted certiorari
to resolve this split.
6
III. ARGUMENT
A.
T he “ Moment of T h r e at” D o c t r i ne is
Constitutionally Sound and Does Not Represent
an Unconstitutional Departure From Prior
Authority
The words of the Fourth Amendment are clear: “The
right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses,
papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and
seizures, shall not be violated. . . . ” (Emphasis added.)
Applying this in language in Tennessee v. Garner,
471 U.S. 1, 7 (1985), this Court ruled that apprehension
by the use of deadly force is a seizure subject to the
reasonableness requirement of the Fourth Amendment.
The Court noted that applying a balancing test, the focus
was whether the “totality of the circumstances” justified
a particular sort of search or seizure, the same balancing
test that should be applied to deadly force cases. Id. at
9. In that case, this Court noted that where the suspect
did not represent a threat to the officer—unlike the case
here—the use of deadly force would be unconstitutional.
Id. at 12.
Four years later, in Graham v. Connor, 490 U.S. 386
(1989), perhaps the seminal case on 42 U.S.C. § 1983, this
Court said, “with respect to a claim of excessive force,
the same standard of reasonable at the moment applies.”
Graham, 490 U.S. at 395 (emphasis added).
In this case, Petitioner argues that the “moment of
threat” constitutes an impermissible departure from
the Fourth Amendment’s reasonableness standard;
7
and, conversely, Respondents assert that this doctrine
is constitutionally permissible. As is so often the case in
questions of this nature, the answer you get depends on
the question you ask. See State v. Olson, 92 Wn.2d 134,
141, 594 P.2d 1337 (Wash. 1979) (J. Dolliver, dis.) Here, the
“moment of threat” doctrine is not only constitutionally
permissible, it is absolutely consistent with this Court’s
prior case authority.
In Graham, this Court noted, “The reasonableness of
a particular use of force must be judged for the perspective
of a reasonable officer on the scene, rather than with
the 20/20 vision of hindsight.” Graham, 490 U.S. at 396.
Furthermore, “The calculus of reasonableness must
embody allowance for the fact that police officers are often
forced to make split-second judgments—in circumstances
that are tense, uncertain, and rapidly evolving.” Id.
By this language, Graham concluded that judges
should not be dissecting every decision an officer makes
on a frame-by-frame basis. Instead, the focus of the
Court’s inquiry should be narrowly directed toward the
suspect’s threatening actions and the officer’s response
thereto. The ability to watch body-worn video over and
over again punctuated by repeated pauses and rewinds,
and debating the significance of each micro movement,
deceives one into believing this is somehow possible for
peace officers to engage in while involved in rapidlyevolving incidents, functioning under the pressure of not
getting hurt themselves, and trying to prevent injury to
a community member.
The traditional standard, as articulated in Graham,
relies on reasonableness without the benefit of 20/20
8
hindsight. The question is whether an officer’s actions
were reasonable, not whether better choices could have
been imagined after the fact, while not second-guessing
pre-force actions, pretending that officers should have
predicted all possible negative outcomes and simply
avoided escalation and violence as a matter of choice. The
practical implications of the approach promulgated by
Petitioner here is that peace officers would be dissuaded
from engaging with individuals to attempt to enforce
potential violations of the law for fear of being exposed
to civil liability. While this would constitute the ultimate
form of “de-escalation,” it is completely contrary to the
jobs that all peace officers have—promoting public safety.
B. The “Moment of Threat” Doctrine Properly
Focuses on a Suspect’s Violent or Threatening
Behavior and Preventing or Containing the
Harm from that Conduct
In recent years, however, many Courts have drifted
away from the plain language of the Fourth Amendment,
Garner, Graham, and common law, and began to focus
on the actions of the officers. Under this new theory, even
though an officer’s use of force may be justified at the
moment of the shooting, the officer is assessed for whether
they may have performed some action or inaction which
“escalated” the scenario so as to convert a reasonable
use of force into a constitutionally impermissible one.
This novel theory of “officer escalation,” however, was
never contemplated by the framers of the Constitution.
Even worse, this trend shifts focus away from the violent
conduct of the suspect and thrusts it upon the officer
who, acting with limited, often times inaccurate, and
constantly changing information, must omnisciently
9
divine unpredictable threatening actions and escalating
threats in real-time. Suspects act. Peace officers react to
their actions.
Under this theory of “officer escalation,” if an officer’s
actions “unjustifiably” or “unnecessarily” created or
increased the risk of a deadly confrontation—even if
the subsequent force was reasonable at the time—the
officer should bear civil or criminal liability. However, the
problem is that for front-line officers trying to resolve a
critical incident, it is often impossible to determine what
will or will not later be determined to be unjustifiable or
unnecessary. Pre-force tactical decisions are necessarily
based on limited information, changing threat levels, and
exposure to personal physical harm, while taking place
in high-stress, potentially life-threatening situations.
Moreover, bizarre or unexpected reactions from a
suspect—such as attempting to start a car and flee from
a traffic stop based on vehicle code offenses—make it
impossible for officers to pre-determine all possible
outcomes in any given scenario.
This trend has created a potential legal minefield
where peace officers’ actions are reviewed not only for
their legality at the moment the decision to use force was
made, but every single discretionary tactical choice which
preceded the use of force. By engaging in such a hindsight
review, judges and juries may fail to appreciate the
complexities of real-time decision-making when presented
with an imminent fear of death or serious bodily injury.
The notion of officer escalation threatens to undermine
the standards that have long guided use-of-force
evaluations. By concentrating on the “moment of threat,”
10
the Courts recognize the difficult, imperfect, highpressure decisions officers must make.
C.
Amici Hold Accountability to the Communities
they Serve as a Core Tenet of their Organizations
Amici hear and acknowledge the frustration Judge
Higginbotham expressed. As an initial response, Amici
remind the Court that accountability does not only occur
in the environment of civil litigation. In parallel with
litigation, a use of force can be subject to the internal
investigation and disciplinary process, force review
procedures, public disclosure of video and investigative
materials, and the risk that conduct could become the basis
for loss of certification to serve in the law enforcement
profession. Additionally, an officer can be subject to
criminal prosecution at the state or federal level.
Further, Amici point out this incident took place in
2016. In the years that have elapsed since that time, law
enforcement has continued to advance the mandates
of field delivery of mental health care, de-escalation,
utilization of less lethal weapon systems, and meeting
the needs of our diverse communities. Amici assure the
Court that these efforts will continue on into the future.
Amici do not, in any way, seek to avoid liability for any
errors members of their profession might commit. With
this as context, Amici must express the view that the
whole discussion of liability and the use of force standard
in the setting of this incident, fundamentally, is unsound.
Simply stated, the decision to stand on the car does not
transform the reasonableness of the subsequent use of
deadly force into a constitutional violation.
11
In Cny. of Los Angeles v. Mendez, 581 U.S. 420 (2017),
this Court considered and rejected a similar analysis. In
that case, the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’s Department
received information that a parolee-at-large had been
observed at a certain residence. While other deputies
searched the main house, two deputies searched the back
of the property where plaintiffs were napping inside a
shack where they lived. When the deputies opened the
door of the shack, one of the plaintiffs rose from the bed
holding a BB gun. One deputy yelled, “Gun” and both
deputies immediately opened fire, shooting the individuals
multiple times. Id. at 423-425.
On the excessive force claim, the District Court found
that the deputies’ use of force was reasonable under
Graham, but held them liable nonetheless under the
Ninth Circuit’s provocation rule, which makes an officer’s
otherwise reasonable use of force unreasonable if (1) the
officer “intentionally or recklessly provokes a violent
confrontation” and (2) the provocation is an independent
Fourth Amendment violation. This ruling was affirmed
by the Ninth Circuit, which held, in the alternative, basic
notions of proximate cause would support liability even
without the provocation rule. Id. at 425-426.
In an 8-0 opinion, this Court vacated the Ninth
Circuit’s judgment holding that the Fourth Amendment
provided no basis for the Ninth Circuit’s “provocation
rule.” Id. at 423. In so holding, this Court noted that “A
different Fourth Amendment violation cannot transform
a later, reasonable use of force into an unreasonable
seizure.” Id.
This is exactly the type of outcome which the “moment
of threat” doctrine seeks to achieve. By focusing on the
12
threatening actions of the suspect, this analysis rightly
concludes that a reasonable use of force is not transformed
into an unreasonable use based on the pre-force actions
of the officer.
D.
The “Moment of Threat” Doctrine Neither
Increases the Instances of Excessive Force
Nor Erodes Public Trust; Rather, it Reduces
the Likelihood of Harm to Victims and Law
Enforcement Officers
Petitioner, as well as multiple amici curiae who have
written in support of Petitioner, assert, without evidence,
that if this Court were to adopt the “moment of threat”
doctrine, a parade of horribles would result, including an
increase of instances of excessive force and an erosion of
public trust would occur. This level of distrust of our field
law enforcement officers is not warranted.
A key failure with Petitioner’s concentration on
pre-force conduct is determining exactly which actions
should be considered and what standard should apply.
Should courts require that pre-force conduct be reckless,
deliberate, or should mere negligent conduct which
unintentionally increases a risk be considered? Such
an inconsistent treatment leaves officers vulnerable to
varying interpretations of their actions. It also invites
absorbing subjective intent into use of force analysis, a
theory that has long been rejected.
Moreover, as “officer escalation” cases have increased,
officers have faced growing uncertainty about whether
their conduct will be deemed lawful. This unpredictability
erodes their confidence in making decisions in high-stress
13
situations. Simply approaching a suspect, conducting a
traffic stop, or attempting to arrest someone can escalate
tensions. Routine interactions like confronting and
inquiring about possible criminal activity may predictably
increase the risk of violence, exposing officers to liability
for the very thing communities expect them to do. As an
aside, Amici remain concerned that the continued societal
pressure we place on our field law enforcement officers will
perpetuate difficulties in attracting the best candidates
to the profession and further diminish employee wellness.
Additionally, another significant concern is that the
concentration on “officer escalation” fails to consider the
human factors that impact law enforcement officers during
high-stress scenarios. Decisions in these types of critical
situations often involve split-second thinking relying on
training rather than the slow and deliberate analysis that
occurs in non-critical situations.
Expecting officers to engage in perfect decisionmaking in real-time disregards the perceptual and
cognitive performance issues of human physiology they
can face under stress, including narrowed vision, auditory
exclusion, and the dangers associated with reaction time
interpretation. Courts and juries have the luxury of
using post-event analysis, and can apply slow, analytical
thinking which does not reflect the reality of human
performance during life-threatening events. Failing to
account for these human factors may result in standards
that exceed what is realistically achievable.
Simply stated, law enforcement officers are human
beings, subject to the natural limitations of human
performance. This understanding is bypassed when the
14
focus is upon pre-force tactics and alleged “escalation.”
And, accordingly, their conduct should be judged based
on the realities of their decision-making in high-stress,
rapidly evolving situations, rather than through the
video playback lens of unrealistic expectations or perfect
hindsight.
Moreover, expecting officers to predict every
possible outcome of their tactical decisions—and those
of their colleagues—could have a chilling effect, leading
to hesitation in life-or-death situations, which would
endanger both officers and their communities.
In order to fully understand the potential implications
for communities that could follow from the Court’s decision
in this matter, one can consider a regrettably frequent
request for law enforcement assistance. A department could
receive a 911 call with sounds of conflict in the background
but no one speaking on the phone. A subsequent call placed
back to the number goes unanswered. Officers respond
only to encounter what could be characterized as a cold
dark building. As experienced officers, having been to the
residence in the past, but recognizing their authority to
move forward is not as firm as they might have hoped, they
weigh the balance in favor of victim safety and enter the
location. Once inside, they encounter a domestic violence
victim with serious injuries and an enraged suspect armed
with a weapon. At such a critical moment for everyone’s
safety, the patrol officers would be instantly burdened by
the direction of this Court, and whether the path leading
them to these grim circumstances constrained how they
respond to the danger they all faced.
At the same time, under the same exact circumstances,
standing in front of the location in the middle of the
15
night, with other calls pending, they might weigh the
ambiguity of the situation, with a cognizance of the
judicial instructions from this case, and feel they needed
to abandon any further intervention. In so doing, the
victim would be abandoned and forced to personally fend
off the assailant.
E. The Universal Application of the “Moment of
Threat” Doctrine to All Circuits Is Needed to
Promote Consistency of Outcome
In Vos v. City of Newport Beach, 892 F.3d 1024 (9th
Cir. 2018), the Ninth Circuit—which does not apply the
“moment of threat” doctrine—has concluded that the
events leading up to the use of force, including the officers’
pre-force tactics, are relevant to the reasonableness
analysis. However, in the Fifth District, the opposite rule
applies. See Barnes, 71 F.4th at 396.
Simply stated, whether a federal constitutional civil
rights violation has occurred should not be determined
by the zip code in which the altercation occurs. It defies
common sense that whether a federal constitutional
violation has occurred depends on whether one is located
in Manhattan’s Second Circuit or in Jersey City’s Third
Circuit just two miles and a short tunnel ride away.
However, where Amici breaks ranks with Petitioner is in
the assertion that the “moment of threat” doctrine should
not be applied at all; rather, Amici submits that this Court
should adopt and endorse the “moment of threat” doctrine
nationwide.
Because the “moment of threat” doctrine is consistent
with the United States Constitution, this Court’s prior
16
precedent, keeps the focus on the suspect’s threatening
behavior rather than on officers’ pre-force actions and/or
alleged escalation, this Court should adopt and endorse
this doctrine nationwide.
IV. CONCLUSION
Accordingly, for all these reasons, Amici respectfully
request that the Court resolve the now-existing circuit
split and conclude that courts should apply the “moment
of threat” doctrine when evaluating excessive force claims
under the Fourth Amendment. This rule recognizes the
practical realities of modern day policing and ensures
victim, officer, and community safety.
Respectfully submitted,
James R. Touchstone
Scott Wm. Davenport*
Richard A. Lucero
Jones & Mayer
3777 N. Harbor Blvd.
Fullerton, CA 92835
(714) 446-1400
swd@jones-mayer.com
Attorneys for Amici Curiae
California Sheriffs’ Association,
California Police Chiefs
Association, and California
Police Officers’ Association
* Counsel of Record
DATED: December 20, 2024
This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.