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HARLOW v. FITZGERALD Case Brief
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Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis
tl;dr: Presidential aides sued for retaliatory firing sought absolute immunity. The Court denied absolute immunity but reformulated qualified immunity, shielding officials from damages unless their conduct violates “clearly established” statutory or constitutional rights of which a reasonable person would have known, eliminating the subjective malice test.
Legal Significance: Established the modern, objective standard for qualified immunity for all government officials. This standard protects officials from liability unless they violate “clearly established” law, making it easier to dismiss insubstantial lawsuits against the government on summary judgment and avoid discovery into subjective intent.
HARLOW v. FITZGERALD Law School Study Guide
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Case Facts & Court Holding
Key Facts & Case Background
A. Ernest Fitzgerald, a civilian analyst for the Department of the Air Force, was dismissed from his position after testifying before Congress about significant cost overruns in a major aircraft program. Fitzgerald filed a lawsuit for civil damages, alleging that his termination was retaliatory and violated his First Amendment and statutory rights. He named several defendants, including Bryce Harlow and Alexander Butterfield, who were senior aides to President Richard M. Nixon. Fitzgerald claimed Harlow and Butterfield conspired to have him fired for his whistleblowing activities. The evidence against the aides was largely inferential, based on conversations and internal memoranda discussing Fitzgerald’s “loyalty” and the need to “can” him. The aides denied any wrongful involvement, asserting they acted in good faith based on legitimate administrative reasons, such as a reduction in force. After extensive discovery, Harlow and Butterfield moved for summary judgment, claiming they were entitled to absolute immunity from suit due to their high-level positions as presidential advisors. The district court denied their motion, and the aides appealed.
Court Holding & Legal Precedent
Issue: What is the scope of immunity for senior presidential aides in a civil damages suit alleging a violation of constitutional rights, and what standard governs the application of that immunity?
No, senior presidential aides are generally not entitled to absolute immunity but Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint
IRAC Legal Analysis
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IRAC (Issue, Rule, Analysis, Conclusion) is the exact format professors want to see in your exam answers. Our exclusive Flash-to-Full briefs combine holding, analysis, and rule statements formatted to match what A+ students produce in exams. These structured briefs help reinforce the essential legal reasoning patterns expected in law school.
Legal Issue
What is the scope of immunity for senior presidential aides in a civil damages suit alleging a violation of constitutional rights, and what standard governs the application of that immunity?
Conclusion
Harlow fundamentally altered the landscape of official accountability by creating the modern Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in re
Legal Rule
Government officials performing discretionary functions are generally entitled only to qualified, not Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehe
Legal Analysis
The Court first rejected the petitioners' argument for absolute immunity derived from Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidata
Flash-to-Full Case Opinions
Flash Summary
- Presidential aides are generally entitled to qualified immunity, not the absolute