Pierson v. Ray

Pierson v. Ray (1967) is a U.S. Supreme Court case that established the doctrine of qualified immunity for police officers and government officials. The Court held that these officials are generally protected from personal liability when they perform their official duties in good faith and within the scope of their authority, even if their actions violate someone's constitutional rights. The ruling aims to balance accountability with protecting officials from constant lawsuits, allowing them to perform their roles without fear of personal financial loss, as long as they act reasonably and without malice.