45 Cited authorities

Ashcroft v. Iqbal
556 U.S. 662 (2009) Cited 255,028 times 280 Legal Analyses
Holding that a claim is plausible where a plaintiff's allegations enable the court to draw a "reasonable inference" the defendant is liable
Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly
550 U.S. 544 (2007) Cited 268,776 times 367 Legal Analyses
Holding that a complaint's allegations should "contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to 'state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face' "
Pearson v. Callahan
555 U.S. 223 (2009) Cited 22,634 times 8 Legal Analyses
Holding that a court may, without deciding whether there was a constitutional violation, look to the question of whether that right was "clearly established"
Neitzke v. Williams
490 U.S. 319 (1989) Cited 56,177 times
Holding that "an in forma pauperis pro se complaint may only be dismissed as frivolous ... when the petitioner cannot make any claim with a rational or arguable basis in law or in fact"
Saucier v. Katz
533 U.S. 194 (2001) Cited 20,302 times 9 Legal Analyses
Holding when a defendant seeks qualified immunity, "a ruling on that issue should be made early in the proceedings so that the costs and expenses of trial are avoided where the defense is dispositive."
Heck v. Humphrey
512 U.S. 477 (1994) Cited 29,431 times 25 Legal Analyses
Holding that a court must dismiss a § 1983 suit if a judgment in favor of the plaintiff would necessarily imply the invalidity of his conviction or sentence
Ashcroft v. Al-Kidd
563 U.S. 731 (2011) Cited 9,049 times 9 Legal Analyses
Holding that, to be clearly established, "existing precedent must have placed the statutory or constitutional question beyond debate"
Will v. Michigan Dept. of State Police
491 U.S. 58 (1989) Cited 24,327 times
Holding that official capacity state officer suits for prospective injunctive relief are suits against a "person" under § 1983 even though a "State" is not a "person" under that statute
Harlow v. Fitzgerald
457 U.S. 800 (1982) Cited 31,593 times 11 Legal Analyses
Holding that public officials are entitled to a "qualified immunity" from "liability for civil damages insofar as their conduct does not violate clearly established . . . rights of which a reasonable person would have known"
Hope v. Pelzer
536 U.S. 730 (2002) Cited 7,440 times 3 Legal Analyses
Holding that "[t]he obvious cruelty inherent" in putting inmates in certain wantonly "degrading and dangerous" situations provides officers "with some notice that their alleged conduct violate" the Eighth Amendment
Section 1983 - Civil action for deprivation of rights
42 U.S.C. § 1983 Cited 490,094 times 693 Legal Analyses
Holding liable any state actor who "subjects, or causes [a person] to be subjected" to a constitutional violation
Rule 12 - Defenses and Objections: When and How Presented; Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings; Consolidating Motions; Waiving Defenses; Pretrial Hearing
Fed. R. Civ. P. 12 Cited 348,310 times 930 Legal Analyses
Granting the court discretion to exclude matters outside the pleadings presented to the court in defense of a motion to dismiss
Section 1915 - Proceedings in forma pauperis
28 U.S.C. § 1915 Cited 291,765 times 38 Legal Analyses
Holding that, after a plaintiff is granted in forma pauperis status, "the court shall dismiss the case at any time if the court determines that . . . the action or appeal . . . fails to state a claim on which relief may be granted"
Rule 7 - Pleadings Allowed; Form of Motions and Other Papers
Fed. R. Civ. P. 7 Cited 7,601 times 2 Legal Analyses
Defining "pleadings" for purposes of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure

Amir EL v. Louisiana State et al

45 Cited authorities

Holding that a claim is plausible where a plaintiff's allegations enable the court to draw a "reasonable inference" the defendant is liable

Holding that a complaint's allegations should "contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to 'state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face' "

Holding that a court may, without deciding whether there was a constitutional violation, look to the question of whether that right was "clearly established"

Holding that "an in forma pauperis pro se complaint may only be dismissed as frivolous ... when the petitioner cannot make any claim with a rational or arguable basis in law or in fact"

Holding when a defendant seeks qualified immunity, "a ruling on that issue should be made early in the proceedings so that the costs and expenses of trial are avoided where the defense is dispositive."

Holding that a court must dismiss a § 1983 suit if a judgment in favor of the plaintiff would necessarily imply the invalidity of his conviction or sentence

Holding that, to be clearly established, "existing precedent must have placed the statutory or constitutional question beyond debate"

Holding that official capacity state officer suits for prospective injunctive relief are suits against a "person" under § 1983 even though a "State" is not a "person" under that statute

Holding that public officials are entitled to a "qualified immunity" from "liability for civil damages insofar as their conduct does not violate clearly established . . . rights of which a reasonable person would have known"

Holding that "[t]he obvious cruelty inherent" in putting inmates in certain wantonly "degrading and dangerous" situations provides officers "with some notice that their alleged conduct violate" the Eighth Amendment

Holding liable any state actor who "subjects, or causes [a person] to be subjected" to a constitutional violation

Granting the court discretion to exclude matters outside the pleadings presented to the court in defense of a motion to dismiss

Holding that, after a plaintiff is granted in forma pauperis status, "the court shall dismiss the case at any time if the court determines that . . . the action or appeal . . . fails to state a claim on which relief may be granted"

Defining "pleadings" for purposes of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure