Decided
Connick v. Thompson
Holding
A district attorney's office cannot be held liable under Section 1983 for a failure to train its prosecutors based on a single Brady violation.
Plain English Holding
A district attorney's office cannot be held liable for failing to train its prosecutors when the plaintiff proves only a single violation that has allegedly arisen from the inadequate training.
Judgment
Fifth Circuit reversed, 5-4, in an opinion by Clarence Thomas on Mar 29, 2011. Justice Scalia joined the majority opinion and also wrote a concurrence, joined by Justice Alito, responding to the dissent. Justice Ginsburg dissented, joined by Justices Breyer, Sotomayor, and Kagan.
Merits Briefs
- Brief for Petitioners Harry F. Connick, in his official capacity as District Attorney; Eric Dubelier, in his official capacity as Assistant District Attorney; James Williams, in his official capacity as Assistant District Attorney; Leon A. Cannizzaro, Jr., in his official capacity as District Attorney; Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office (unavailable)
- Reply Brief for Petitioner Harry F. Connick, in his official capacity as District Attorney; Eric Dubelier, in his official capacity as Assistant District Attorney; James Williams, in his official capacity as Assistant District Attorney; Leon A. Cannizzaro, Jr., in his official capacity as District Attorney; Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office (unavailable)
- Brief for Respondent John Thompson (unavailable)
Amicus Briefs
- Brief for the District Attorneys Association of the state of New York in support of Petitioner (unavailable)
- Brief for the National District Attorneys Association and the California District Attorney’s Association in Support of Petitioners (unavailable)
- Brief for the Orleans Parish Assistant District Attorneys in Support of Petitioner (unavailable)
- Brief for the National League of Cities, National Association of Counties, International City/County Management Association, U.S. Conference of Mayors, and International Municipal Lawyers Association in Support of Petitioner (unavailable)
- Brief for the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers in Support of Respondent (unavailable)
- Brief for the Innocence Network in Support of Respondent (unavailable)
- Brief for the American Civil Liberties Union, the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana, and the Southern Poverty Law Center in Support of Respondent
- Brief for the Alliance Defense Fund and the CATO Institute in Support of Respondent (unavailable)
- Brief for the Center on the Administration of Criminal Law, New York University School Of Law; the Criminal Justice Institute, University of Houston Law Center; The Jacob Burns Center for Ethics In the Practice of Law, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law; The Louis Stein Center for Law and Ethics, Fordham University School of Law; and the Stanford Criminal Justice Center, Stanford Law School in Support of Respondent
- Brief for Former Federal Civil Rights Officials and Prosecutors Wan J. Kim, Bill Lann Lee, Grace Chung Becker, William Yeomans, John R. Dunne, Stephen J. Pollak, J. Stanley Pottinger, James P. Turner, Edward S.G. Dennis, Jr., David W. Marston, Matthew D. Orwig, John Ratcliffe, and Uttam Dhillon in Support of Respondent (unavailable)
Certiorari-Stage Documents
- Ruling denying retrial below and judgment below (District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana; 5th Circuit en banc panel split evenly, affirming the district court decision)
- Petition for certiorari
- Brief in opposition
- Petitioner’s reply (unavailable)
- Amicus brief of the National District Attorneys Association (unavailable)
- Amicus brief of Orleans Parish Assistant District Attorneys (unavailable)
Related Coverage
Nov 6, 2009Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due December 10, 2009)
Dec 7, 2009Order extending time to file response to petition to and including January 11, 2010.
Dec 10, 2009Brief amicus curiae of Orleans Parish Assistant District Attorneys filed.
Dec 10, 2009Brief amici curiae of National District Attorneys Association filed.
Jan 11, 2010Brief of respondent John Thompson in opposition filed.
Jan 25, 2010Reply of petitioners Harry F. Connick, District Attorney, et al. filed. (Distributed)Jan 27, 2010DISTRIBUTED for Conference of February 19, 2010.
Feb 3, 2010Record Requested .
Feb 26, 2010Records received from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the U. S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana (3 boxes).
Mar 3, 2010DISTRIBUTED for Conference of March 19, 2010.
Mar 22, 2010Petition GRANTED limited to Question 1 presented by the petition.
Apr 15, 2010The time within which to file the joint appendix and petitioners' brief on the merits is extended to and including June 7, 2010.
Apr 29, 2010Consent to the filing of amicus curiae briefs in support of either party or neither party received from counsel for the respondent.
May 10, 2010Consent to the filing of amicus briefs, in support of neiether party or of neither party, rerceived from counsel for the petitioners.
Jun 7, 2010Brief of petitioners Harry F. Connick, District Attorney, et al. filed.
Jun 7, 2010Joint appendix filed (4 volumes). (Statement of costs filed)
Jun 11, 2010Brief amicus curiae of District Attorneys Association of the State of New York filed.
Jun 14, 2010Brief amici curiae of National District Attorneys Association, et al. filed.
Jun 14, 2010Brief amici curiae of National League of Cities, et al. filed.
Jun 14, 2010Brief amicus curiae of Orleans Parish Assistant District Attorneys filed.
Jun 15, 2010The time to file respondent's brief on the merits is extended to and including August 6, 2010.
Jul 20, 2010CIRCULATED.
Aug 6, 2010Brief of respondent John Thompson filed. (Distributed)
Aug 9, 2010SET FOR ARGUMENT ON Wednesday, October 6, 2010.
Aug 10, 2010Brief amicus curiae of National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers filed. (Distributed)
Aug 13, 2010Brief amici curiae of Alliance Defense Fund, and Cato Institute filed. (Distributed)
Aug 13, 2010Brief amici curiae of Former Federal Civil Rights Officials and Prosecutors filed. (Distributed)
Aug 13, 2010Brief amici curiae of American Civil Liberties Union, et al. filed. (Distributed)Aug 13, 2010Brief amicus curiae of Innocence Network filed. (Distributed)
Aug 13, 2010Motion of Former Federal Civil Rights Officials and Prosecutors for leave to participate in oral argument as amici curiae and for divided argument filed.
Aug 13, 2010Brief amici curiae of Center on the Administration of Criminal Law, et al. filed. (Distributed)Sep 7, 2010Reply of petitioners Harry F. Connick, District Attorney, et al. filed. (Distributed)
Sep 28, 2010Motion of Former Federal Civil Rights Officials and Prosecutors for leave to participate in oral argument as amici curiae and for divided argument DENIED.
Oct 6, 2010Argued. For petitioners: Stuart K. Duncan, Appellate Chief, Baton Rouge, La. For repsondent: J. Gordon Cooney, Jr., Philadelphia, Pa.
Mar 29, 2011Judgment REVERSED. Thomas, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Roberts, C. J., and Scalia, Kennedy, and Alito, JJ., joined. Scalia, J., filed a concurring opinion, in which Alito, J., joined. Ginsburg, J., filed a dissenting opinion, in which Breyer, Sotomayor, and Kagan, JJ., joined.
May 2, 2011JUDGMENT ISSUED.
May 17, 2011Record returned to U.s.C.A. for 5th Circuit.
Recommended Citation: Connick v. Thompson, SCOTUSblog, https://www.scotusblog.com/cases/connick-v-thompson/