Constitutional Rights

Recent Cases

Qualified Immunity Ends in New Mexico

April 12, 2021

On April 7, 2021, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the New Mexico Civil Rights Act into law, effectively ending the doctrine of qualified immunity for all state and local public officials there. The law had bipartisan support and the backing of several organizations, including the Innocence Project. This makes New Mexico the first U.S. jurisdiction […]

READ FULL ARTICLE

What is a Brady Violation?

March 12, 2021

A “Brady Violation” is what happens when the prosecutors in a criminal case fail to perform their constitutional duty to turn over helpful evidence to the people they have charged with crimes. Everyone has the right to due process and a fair trial. Because of that, when the Government has evidence suggesting a person is either […]

READ FULL ARTICLE

Public school teachers have First Amendment rights

June 6, 2018

It may sound obvious that teachers have the right to free speech when they are outside of the classroom, but a recent case from the Georgia Supreme Court may cause some concern among teachers and other public employees. The Court declined to take up a case brought by Kelly Tucker, a public school teacher in […]

READ FULL ARTICLE

Alton Sterling Shot by Police

April 4, 2018

Our firm has successfully pursued cases against police departments, city agencies, and police officers in matters involving police brutality or excessive force and are frequently contacted to evaluate these types of cases. When these cases appear in the news, Attorney Page Pate is often contacted by media outlets to provide an analysis. In this case, […]

READ FULL ARTICLE

Police officers found liable for excessive force in SWAT raid

January 27, 2018

This week, the city of Lakewood and its police chief announced their intentions to appeal a $15 million verdict awarded last summer to the family of Leonard Thomas, a thirty-year-old, unarmed black man who was shot and killed by a SWAT team sniper during a stand-off at his home. As horrific as it is anytime […]

READ FULL ARTICLE