October Term 2008 · Docket 07-854
Does a chief prosecutor lose immunity for supervising a trial?
A district attorney claims absolute immunity. A plaintiff argues he should face a lawsuit for supervising a trial.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
the side that brought the case argued the lower court created an improper exception to immunity.
the opposing side argued chief prosecutors should not have absolute immunity for supervision.
Justice Kennedy noted the difficulty of defining the specific violation in this context.
Justice Stevens explored the boundary between prosecutorial and administrative functions.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 19-37 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 19-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 49-5 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 49-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 19-23 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 19-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 25-49 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 25-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 51-3 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 51-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 37-51 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 37-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 17-5 — Transcript, file page 22, lines 17-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 7-25 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 7-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 31-7 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 31-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 11-11 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 11-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 41-49 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 41-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 15-19 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 15-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 9-11 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 9-11
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case tests the scope of prosecutorial immunity. It asks if a chief prosecutor can be sued for supervising a trial.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 25-49 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 25-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 17-5 — Transcript, file page 22, lines 17-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-5
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on November 5, 2008.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
What each side wants
the side that brought the case wants the court to affirm absolute immunity for chief prosecutors.
the opposing side wants the court to allow a lawsuit against a chief prosecutor.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 25-49 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 25-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 17-5 — Transcript, file page 22, lines 17-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-5
What each side says
the side that brought the case argues chief prosecutors retain absolute immunity when supervising trials.
the opposing side argues chief prosecutors lose immunity when they supervise trial strategy.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 25-49 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 25-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 17-5 — Transcript, file page 22, lines 17-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-5
What the justices asked
Justice Kennedy asked how to identify a violation before determining qualified immunity.
Justice Stevens asked if a layperson performs a prosecutorial function in a hypothetical scenario.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 19-37 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 19-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 49-5 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 49-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 19-23 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 19-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 51-3 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 51-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 37-51 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 37-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 7-25 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 7-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 31-7 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 31-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 11-11 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 11-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 41-49 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 41-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 15-19 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 15-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 9-11 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 9-11
Why it matters
This case defines the legal protection for senior prosecutors. It determines whether supervisors can be sued for trial decisions.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 25-49 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 25-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 17-5 — Transcript, file page 22, lines 17-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-5
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 19-37 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 19-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 49-5 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 49-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 19-23 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 19-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 51-3 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 51-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 37-51 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 37-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 7-25 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 7-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 31-7 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 31-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 11-11 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 11-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 41-49 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 41-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 15-19 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 15-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 9-11 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 9-11
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 25-49 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 25-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 17-5 — Transcript, file page 22, lines 17-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 25-49 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 25-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 17-5 — Transcript, file page 22, lines 17-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-5
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.