Date decided 1980 | ||
Full case name Owen v. City of Independence, Missouri, et al. Citations 445 U.S. 622 (more)
100 S. Ct. 1398; 63 L. Ed. 2d 673; 1980 U.S. LEXIS 14 Subsequent history Petition for rehearing denied June 2, 1980 Majority Brennan, joined by White, Marshall, Blackmun, Stevens Dissent Powell, joined by Burger, Stewart, Rehnquist People also search for Guey Heung Lee v. Johnson | ||
Owen v. City of Independence, 445 U.S. 622 (1980), was a case decided by the United States Supreme Court, in which the court held that a municipality has no immunity from liability under Section 1983 flowing from its constitutional violations and may not assert the good faith of its officers as a defense to such liability.
Contents
Background
The city council voted to fire the city's chief of police and in doing so, violated his procedural due process rights to a pre-termination hearing. Plaintiff named the city and city council in the suit.
Opinion of the Court
In an opinion written by Justice Brennan, the Court held that a municipality has no immunity from liability under Section 1983 flowing from its constitutional violations and may not assert the good faith of its officers as a defense to such liability.