Nothing ‘qualified’ about immunity as SCOTUS sides with police in two cases

Cotter’s Corner

By Daniel A. Cotter

Daniel A. Cotter is a partner at Howard & Howard Attorneys PLLC and author of the book “The Chief Justices” (Twelve Tables Press). The views expressed here are solely those of the author. He can be reached at scotuslyyours@gmail.com.

Posted October 25, 2021 11:50 AM

The U.S. Supreme Court released orders on Monday, Oct. 18, including two per curiam (unsigned) unanimous decisions granting qualified immunity to police officers. The term qualified immunity might be recast as unqualified immunity. Rivas-Villegas and Tahlequah In these two cases, Rivas-Villegas v. Cortesluna, and Tahlequah v. Bond, police were sued under the Civil Rights Act, Sec. 1983, for alleged abuse of their authority. In the former, officers twice shot a man with a “bean bag round” at close range because he had a …

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