Amicus Briefs


In concert with our legislative advocacy and member education and support, the National Police Accountability Project files amicus briefs in the U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Courts of Appeals and state appellate courts in cases involving abuses of power by police and corrections officers, as well as other government officials. Our amicus curiae work is motivated by a recognition that positive rulings in significant cases addressing police and corrections officer misconduct stand to create powerful case law that can expand access and avenues to recourse for citizens whose civil rights have been violated.

Instructions for Requesting Amicus Support

Use the fields below to filter by court, amicus counsel or parties, date filed, and tags.

Date Filed

Fenty et al v. Penzone et al

Submitted by Jane Clayton on Fri, 10/14/2022 - 09:38

In Fenty et al v. Penzone et al, the defendant failed to fully comply with the magistrate judge's order to deduplicate their email production. When the plaintiffs raised the issue, the magistrate ordered the defendant to perform threading of responsive emails and ordered the parties to split the $1400 cost to complete the process. The district court affirmed the magistrate's order.

Harris v. City of Newark

Submitted by Jane Clayton on Fri, 10/14/2022 - 09:36

Harris v. City of Newark is a New Jersey Civil Rights Act (NJCRA) case that asks whether a defendant is entitled to pursue an interlocutory appeal on a qualified immunity denial in civil rights cases brought under the NJCRA.

Dundon et al v. Kirchmeier et al

Submitted by Jane Clayton on Fri, 10/14/2022 - 09:25

Dundon et al v. Kirchmeier et al is a case challenging law enforcement's violent response to the 2016 Dakota Access Pipeline protests. The brief focuses on how the use of less than lethal force against protesters can constitute a seizure under the Fourth Amendment.

NPAP members Rachel Lederman, Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, and Janine Hoft are representing plaintiffs-appellants in the case.

AB v. County of San Diego

Submitted by Jane Clayton on Thu, 10/13/2022 - 16:46

In AB v. County of San Diego the decedent was handcuffed, hog-tied, hooded in a bloody spit mask, and subjected to 7 minutes of forceful prone restraint by several officers who pressed their knees and fists down on his back. San Diego county's designee admitted at deposition that officers received no training on asphyxia, and were in fact affirmatively encouraged to use substantial body weight on a prone subject to achieve compliance with verbal commands. 

Vega v. Tekoh

Submitted by Jane Clayton on Thu, 10/13/2022 - 16:42

Vega v. Tekoh presents the question of whether Section 1983 remedies are available when a police officer takes an un-Mirandized statement and causes it to be used in the suspect's criminal trial. NPAP members John Burton and Paul Hoffman are representing Mr. Tekoh.

Daniels v. City of Pittsburgh et. al.

Submitted by Jane Clayton on Thu, 10/13/2022 - 16:36

Daniels v. City of Pittsburgh et. al. addresses the case of Mark Daniels, who was running away when he was shot in the back and killed by a Pittsburgh police officer. Mr. Daniels was not armed but the officer believed that Mr. Daniels had shot at him earlier the same day. The district court granted summary judgment for the defendants relying in large part on the officer's unsworn statements in his use of force report even though there was evidence in the record contradicting these statements.

Irizarry v. Yehia

Submitted by Jane Clayton on Thu, 10/13/2022 - 14:53

In Irizarry v. Yehia the plaintiff is Abade Irizarry, a journalist/blogger who attempted to film a DUI stop until a police officer obstructed his ability to film first by standing in front of him and then by shining a light into his camera.

Gonzalez v. Trevino et. al.

Submitted by Jane Clayton on Thu, 10/13/2022 - 14:48

Our brief in Gonzalez v. Trevino et. al. explains that illegal arrest for disfavored speech is a serious and systemic problem, and provides concrete illustrations of this phenomenon with a particular focus on how law enforcement targets communities of color.