In King v. Villegas, published October 20, 2025, a divided panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the district court’s dismissal of a state prisoner’s 42 U.S.C. section 1983 suit. The plaintiff was involved in a physical altercation with two corrections officers. His version of events and the officers’ versions were completely different.…
In St. Clair v. County of Okanogan, published September 23, 2025, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed dismissal of a 42 U.S.C. section 1983 case at the pleading stage. The plaintiff alleged that a defendant sheriff’s deputy and detective took advantage of the plaintiff’s drug addiction and involvement in criminal activity to coerce her…
In Jones v. City of North Las Vegas, published September 8, 2025, the 9th Circuit affirmed in part and reversed in part summary judgment for the defendant city and two of its officers. While responding to a domestic violence call, one of the responding officers saw a person flee over the wall to the south…
In Cheairs v. City of Seattle, published August 1, 2025, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed summary judgment in favor of the defendants. During a protest of the death of George Floyd, protesters breached police fencing surrounding a police station, ignored police orders to fall back, and advanced on the police line. Protesters shined lasers…
In Estate v. Soakai v. Abdelaziz, published May 16, 2025, a divided panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed denial of the police officer defendants' motion to dismiss the action at the pleading stage based on qualified immunity. According to the complaint's allegations, the defendant officers spotted a person they believed had participated in…
In Barnes v. Felix, published May 15, 2025, the United States Supreme Court reversed summary judgment granted to the defendant police officer in a 42 U.S.C. section 1983 case. The defendant officer pulled a suspect's car over for outstanding toll violations. During the stop, the suspect stated he did not have his license with him, and…
In DeFrancesco v. Robbins, published May 7, 2025, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed dismissal of a 42 U.S.C. section 1983 lawsuit at the pleadings stage due to qualified immunity. The lawsuit alleged that both the plaintiff and his husband held high positions at a university. The plaintiff's husband spoke out about the university's hiring…
In Alves v. County of Riverside, published April 29, 2025, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeal affirmed a district court's decision declining to grant a renewed motion for judgment as a matter of law after a jury trial. The defendant deputies encountered a bleeding man speaking incoherently and engaged in unusual behavior. The deputies believed the…
In Newman v. Underhill, published April 23, 2025, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed summary judgment for the defendant deputies. A suspect in a truck failed to stop for one of the defendant deputy's traffic stop. This was a felony. The deputy chased the suspect's truck. The truck stopped near the plaintiff's home. The suspect…
In Regino v. Staley, published April 4, 2025, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed dismissal of a 42 U.S.C. section 1983 suit at the pleading stage. A school district had a policy that prohibited conduct such as refusing to address a student by a name and pronouns consistent with the student’s gender identity and…