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91-1657.ZS
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1993-11-06
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NOTE: Where it is feasible, a syllabus (headnote) will be released, as is
being done in connection with this case, at the time the opinion is issued.
The syllabus constitutes no part of the opinion of the Court but has been
prepared by the Reporter of Decisions for the convenience of the reader.
See United States v. Detroit Lumber Co., 200 U. S. 321, 337.
SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES
Syllabus
LEATHERMAN et al. v. TARRANT COUNTY
NARCOTICS INTELLIGENCE AND COORDINATION
UNIT et al.
certiorari to the united states court of appeals for
the fifth circuit
No. 91-1657. Argued January 12, 1993-Decided March 3, 1993
Petitioner homeowners filed suit under 42 U. S. C. 1983 against
respondents-local officials acting in their official capacity, a county,
and two municipal corporations-alleging that the conduct of local
police officers in searching their homes for narcotics violated the
Fourth Amendment, and asserting that the basis for municipal
liability was the failure adequately to train the police officers
involved. The Federal District Court dismissed the complaints
because they failed to meet the "heightened pleading standard"
adopted by the Court of Appeals, which requires that complaints
against municipal corporations in 1983 cases state with factual
detail and particularity the basis for the claim. The Court of Appeals
affirmed.
Held: A federal court may not apply a ``heightened pleading
standard''-more stringent than the usual pleading requirements of
Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 8(a)-in civil rights cases alleging
municipal liability under 1983. First, the heightened standard
cannot be justified on the ground that a more relaxed pleading
standard would eviscerate municipalities' immunity from suit by
subjecting them to expensive and time-consuming discovery in every
1983 case. Municipalities, although free from respondeat superior
liability under 1983, see Monell v. New York City Dept. of Social
Services, 436 U. S. 658, do not enjoy absolute or qualified immunity
from 1983 suits, id., at 701; Owen v. City of Independence, 445 U. S.
622, 650. Second, it is not possible to square the heightened standard
applied in this case with the liberal system of ``notice pleading'' set up
by the Federal Rules. Rule 8(a)(2) requires that a complaint include
only ``a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the
pleader is entitled to relief.'' And while Rule 9(b) requires greater
particularity in pleading certain actions, it does not include among
the enumerated actions any reference to complaints alleging
municipal liability under 1983. Pp. 2-5.
954 F. 2d 1054, reversed and remanded.
Rehnquist, C. J., delivered the opinion for a unanimous Court.