Washington, DC – July 19, 2018 – Cause of Action Institute (“CoA Institute”) has joined a Supreme Court amicus brief in support of the petitioner seeking a writ of certiorari in Allah v. Milling. The brief argues that qualified immunity denies justice to victims of government misconduct, imposes prohibitive and unjustified costs on civil-rights litigants, and harms law enforcement officials by eroding public trust.
“Preserving the fundamental liberties afforded by our Constitution remains a critical priority in today’s policing environment. The notion of qualified immunity has grown from the bench and is not rooted in our founding charter. Some form of meaningful redress for those admittedly injured by police errors must be available,” noted John Vecchione, President and CEO of Cause of Action Institute.
From the amicus brief:
[Q]ualified immunity often bars even those plaintiffs who can prove their case from remedying a wrong: harm, but no foul. Qualified immunity thus enables public officials who violate federal law to sidestep their legal obligations to the victims of their misconduct. In so doing, the doctrine undermines the public’s trust in those officials—law enforcement in particular—making on-the-ground policing more difficult and dangerous for all officers, including that vast majority who endeavor to uphold their constitutional obligations.
The amicus brief is available here.
About Cause of Action Institute
Cause of Action Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit working to enhance individual and economic liberty by limiting the power of the administrative state to make decisions that are contrary to freedom and prosperity by advocating for a transparent and accountable government free from abuse.
For more information, please contact Nichole.VanValkenburg@CauseofAction.org
