Malley v. Briggs

Malley v. Briggs (1986) is a Supreme Court case that addressed whether police officers have qualified immunity when they make an arrest based on probable cause and later discover false or mistaken evidence. The Court ruled that officers are generally protected from liability if they acted reasonably and in good faith, even if their judgment was mistaken. This decision emphasizes that officers should not be punished for honest errors made during their duties, provided they had reasonable grounds for their actions. It balances holding police accountable with protecting them from lawsuits when they act without malicious intent but reasonably rely on available information.