Accountability at the Court: A Four-Part Series

Among the many significant issues the Supreme Court decides each year, everyone should pay attention to what the Court does to the legal levers of accountability for federal officials. Those levers have always been critical in our system of justice, and they have taken on heightened importance in light of President Trump. From military personnel to masked ICE agents to federal jailers, President Trump is relentlessly putting federal officials in positions to harm people and violate their legal rights. When people are harmed and they turn to federal courts to seek redress, as they should, they will find the Supreme Court’s fingerprints on the tools of accountability. This series highlights three related tools: Bivens actions, FTCA actions, and injunctions. All were addressed last term, and the upcoming term is likely to bring more relevant decisions. This series discusses those cases and the broader trends in which they fit, highlighting recent cases in bold. Below are links to each part in the series.  

Part 1: Bivens Actions & Fields
Part 2: FTCA Actions & Martin 
Part 3: Injunctions & The Shadow Docket
Part 4: Looking Ahead