Barnes v. Felix
View Official PDFBelow are plain-language sections to help you understand what the Court decided in Barnes v. Felix and why it matters. Quotes are taken from the syllabus (the Court’s short summary at the start of the opinion).
Summary
A short, plain-English overview of Barnes v. Felix.
In Barnes v. Felix, the Supreme Court reviewed whether a law enforcement officer's use of force was reasonable under the Fourth Amendment. The case involved an officer who shot a suspect during a traffic stop. The Court vacated and remanded the lower court's decision, emphasizing the need to consider the totality of the circumstances rather than focusing solely on the moment of threat.
Holding
The single most important “bottom line” of what the Court decided in Barnes v. Felix.
The Court held that the reasonableness of police force must be analyzed considering the totality of the circumstances, not just the moment of threat.
Constitutional Concepts
These are the Constitution-related themes that appear in Barnes v. Felix. Click a concept to see other cases that involve the same idea.
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Why Search and Seizure is relevant to Barnes v. Felix
The case involves the analysis of a law enforcement officer's use of force during a stop, which is evaluated under the Fourth Amendment's reasonableness standard.
Syllabus excerpt (verbatim)Held: A claim that a law enforcement officer used excessive force during a stop or arrest is analyzed under the Fourth Amendment, which requires that the force deployed be objectively reasonable from 'the perspective of a reasonable officer on the scene.'
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Why Procedural Due Process is relevant to Barnes v. Felix
The Court's analysis involves evaluating the totality of circumstances, which is a procedural aspect of determining the reasonableness of the officer's actions.
Syllabus excerpt (verbatim)The inquiry into the reasonableness of police force requires analyzing the 'totality of the circumstances.'
Key Quotes
Short excerpts from the syllabus in Barnes v. Felix that support the summary and concepts above.
The inquiry into the reasonableness of police force requires analyzing the 'totality of the circumstances.'
A court deciding a use-of-force case cannot review the totality of the circumstances if it has put on chronological blinders.
