DC's Permanent Police Reform Law: What It Changes for Civil Cases — and What It Doesn't
DC Law 24-345, effective April 21, 2023, makes police reform permanent. What the law does — and honestly, what it does not do — for civil claims.
Maryland's Police Accountability Act: Higher Damages Caps for Police-Misconduct Claims
Maryland repealed the police Bill of Rights and raised the LGTCA damages cap to $890,000 for police misconduct claims. What the 2021 reforms change.
Cromartie v. Billings: Virginia's Supreme Court Says Gross Negligence Pierces Police Immunity
The Supreme Court of Virginia revives a teacher's suit against a Petersburg officer: gross negligence defeats sovereign immunity in police misconduct cases.
Blair v. District of Columbia: The District Answers for an Off-Duty Officer's Violence
In Blair v. DC, the DC Court of Appeals held a jury must decide whether the District is liable for an off-duty officer who invoked police authority.
Hall v. District of Columbia: D.C. Circuit Reinstates False-Arrest and Excessive-Force Claims After a Restaurant Bill Dispute Ends in Handcuffs
In Hall v. District of Columbia, the D.C. Circuit revived false-arrest and excessive-force claims — and let claims against the restaurant proceed too.
Cooper v. Rodriguez: Gross Negligence Pierces Official Immunity in Maryland
Maryland's highest court restored a family's judgment against a correctional officer whose reckless failures led to an inmate's murder during transport.
Owens v. Baltimore: Fourth Circuit Gives Wrongful-Conviction Civil Suits a Roadmap
In Owens v. Baltimore City State's Attorneys Office, the Fourth Circuit revived an exoneree's civil rights suit and clarified when such claims accrue.