SCOTUS Review: Police Misconduct Under Section 1983

"Police Misconduct" is the sizzling hot topic of the day. Whether you sue or defend law enforcement, or want to add a new practice area, you need to be up-to-the-minute. This course will cover the latest in law enforcement liability under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. From the newest Supreme Court cases to national trends in use of deadly force; qualified immunity for individual officers; municipal liability for failures in hiring, training, supervision and discipline; First Amendment rights and use of video evidence; evaluation of high-profile death cases; and effect of the legalization of marijuana, leading practitioner and authority Wayne C. Beyer gives you all this, plus written materials, and links to additional resources to use in your practice.

Topics to be covered include:

• Supreme Court update

• What statistics reveal on police use of force

• National police reform movement

• Consensus policies on use of force, and their admissibility 

• Choke holds, positional asphyxia

• Failure to intervene, breaks in the blue wall

• Stepped-up attacks on the qualified immunity defense from the left and even the right

• Municipal liability, failure to train on de-escalation, crisis intervention and others

• Citizen videos, protests and First Amendment; body worn camera evidence

• Damages for wrongful death and survival: should state or federal law control?

• Searches and arrests for marijuana

• Facial recognition technology controversy

Learning Objectives:

1. Review the latest Supreme Court cases and national trends surrounding police misconduct and the use of deadly force 

2. Examine recent developments in law enforcement liability under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, including the qualified immunity defense, municipal liability, and more

3. Explore the role of First Amendment rights in police misconduct cases