Source: https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/484/292/
Timestamp: 2019-04-23 02:03:25+00:00

Document:
Respondents, husband and wife, brought a state law tort suit in state court alleging that, while working as a federal civilian employee at an Army Depot, the husband received chemical burns when he was exposed to toxic soda ash that was improperly stored at the depot as a result of the negligence of petitioner supervisors. The Federal District Court to which petitioners removed the action held that petitioners were absolutely immune from suit, since the alleged tort was committed while they were acting within the scope of their employment, and granted summary judgment in their favor. The Court of Appeals reversed, holding that a federal employee enjoys immunity only if the challenged conduct, in addition to being within the scope of the employee's duties, is also a discretionary act.
in discretionary conduct, there is a genuine issue of material fact as to whether that conduct is entitled to absolute immunity, and the Court of Appeals was correct in reversing the grant of summary judgment. Pp. 484 U. S. 295-300.
Respondent William Erwin and his wife respondent Emely Erwin brought a state law tort suit against petitioners, federal employees in the Executive Branch, alleging that he had suffered injuries as a result of petitioners' negligence in performing official acts. The issue presented is whether these federal officials are absolutely immune from liability under state tort law for conduct within the scope of their employment, without regard to whether the challenged conduct was discretionary in nature.
toxic soda ash that "were improperly and negligently stored." 1 Record, Complaint ¦ 3. The complaint stated that William Erwin suffered chemical burns to his eyes and throat when he inhaled soda ash dust that had spilled from its bag. William Erwin also asserted that the soda ash "should not have been routed to the warehouse where [he] was working," and that "someone should have known that it was there and provided [him] with some warning as to its presence and danger before [he] inhaled it." 1 Record, Doc. No. 4, p. 1. The complaint charged petitioners with negligence "in proximately causing, permitting, or allowing [him] to inhale the . . . soda ash." 1 Record, Complaint ¦ 6.
Petitioners removed the action to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1442(a)(1). The District Court held that petitioners were absolutely immune from suit, and granted summary judgment in their favor. After finding that the alleged tort was committed while petitioners were acting within the scope of their employment, the court held that "any federal employee is entitled to absolute immunity for ordinary torts committed within the scope of their jobs." Civ.Action No. CV85-H-874-S, p. 2 (June 5, 1985). The Court of Appeals reversed, reasoning that a federal employee enjoys immunity "only if the challenged conduct is a discretionary act and is within the outer perimeter of the actor's line of duty.'" 785 F.2d 1551, 1552 (CA11 1986) (quoting Johns v. Pettibone Corp., 769 F.2d 724, 728 (CA11 1985)). The court held that the District Court erred in failing to consider whether the challenged conduct was discretionary, in addition to being within the scope of petitioners' duties, before finding that petitioners were absolutely immune from suit. Summary judgment was inappropriate, the court concluded, because respondents had "alleged undisputed facts sufficient to create a material question of whether or not [petitioners'] complained-of acts were discretionary." 785 F.2d at 1553.
We granted certiorari, 480 U.S. 905 (1987), to resolve the dispute among the Courts of Appeals as to whether conduct by federal officials must be discretionary in nature, as well as being within the scope of their employment, before the conduct is absolutely immune from state law tort liability. [Footnote 2] We affirm.
Petitioners initially ask that we endorse the approach followed by the Fourth and Eighth Circuits, see General Electric Co. v. United States, 813 F.2d 1273, 1276-1277 (CA4 1987); Poolman v. Nelson, 802 F.2d 304, 307 (CA8 1986), and by the District Court in the present action, that all federal employees are absolutely immune from suits for damages under state tort law "whenever their conduct falls within the scope of their official duties." Brief for Petitioners 12. Petitioners argue that such a rule would have the benefit of eliminating uncertainty as to the scope of absolute immunity for state law tort actions, and would most effectively ensure that federal officials act free of inhibition. Neither the purposes of the doctrine of official immunity nor our cases support such a broad view of the scope of absolute immunity, however, and we refuse to adopt this position.
that conduct. It is only when officials exercise decisionmaking discretion that potential liability may shackle "the fearless, vigorous, and effective administration of policies of government." Barr v. Matteo, supra, at 360 U. S. 571. Because it would not further effective governance, absolute immunity for nondiscretionary functions finds no support in the traditional justification for official immunity.
"[I]f official immunity automatically attaches to any conduct expressly or impliedly authorized by law, the Court of Appeals correctly dismissed the complaint against these officials. This, however, is not the governing rule."
As an alternative position, petitioners contend that, even if discretion is required before absolute immunity attaches, the requirement is satisfied as long as the official exercises "minimal discretion." Brief for Petitioners 15. If the precise conduct is not mandated by law, petitioners argue, then the act is "discretionary" and the official is entitled to absolute immunity from state law tort liability. We reject such a wooden interpretation of the discretionary function requirement. Because virtually all official acts involve some modicum of choice, petitioners' reading of the requirement would render it essentially meaningless. Furthermore, by focusing entirely on the question whether a federal official's precise conduct is controlled by law or regulation, petitioners' approach ignores the balance of potential benefits and costs of absolute immunity under the circumstances, and thus loses sight of the underlying purpose of official immunity doctrine. See Doe v. McMillan, 412 U.S. at 412 U. S. 320. Conduct by federal officials will often involve the exercise of a modicum of choice, and yet be largely unaffected by the prospect of tort liability, making the provision of absolute immunity unnecessary and unwise.
In the present case, the Court of Appeals, reviewing a summary judgment determination, held that petitioners were not entitled to official immunity solely because they were acting within the scope of their official duties, and that there was a material question whether the challenged conduct was discretionary. 785 F.2d at 1553. Applying the foregoing reasoning to this case, it is clear that the court was correct in reversing the District Court's grant of summary judgment. Petitioners have the burden of proving that they are entitled to absolute immunity from the tort suit. Respondent William Erwin asserted that petitioners' "duties only require them to follow established procedures and guidelines," and that they "are not involved in any policymaking work for the United States Government." 1 Record, Doc. No. 4, p. 2. In response, petitioners have not presented any evidence relating to their official duties or to the level of discretion they exercise. Petitioners aver merely that the alleged tortious conduct was "within the scope of their official duties." 1 Record, Exh. A, p. 2. As we stated above, federal officials are not absolutely immune from state law tort liability for all actions committed within the outer perimeter of their duties. A material issue of fact thus exists as to whether petitioners exercised sufficient discretion in connection with the alleged tort to warrant the shield of absolute immunity.
doctrine when resolving individual claims of immunity or formulating general guidelines. We are also of the view, however, that Congress is in the best position to provide guidance for the complex and often highly empirical inquiry into whether absolute immunity is warranted in a particular context. Legislated standards governing the immunity of federal employees involved in state law tort actions would be useful.
The Court of Appeals was correct in holding that absolute immunity does not shield official functions from state law tort liability unless the challenged conduct is within the outer perimeter of an official's duties and is discretionary in nature. Moreover, absolute immunity does not attach simply because the precise conduct of the federal official is not prescribed by law. There is thus a genuine issue of material fact as to whether petitioners' conduct is entitled to absolute immunity. Accordingly, the judgment of the Court of Appeals is affirmed.
Compare General Electric Co. v. United States, 813 F.2d 1273, 1276-1277 (CA4 1987), and Poolman v. Nelson, 802 F.2d 304, 307 (CA8 1986) (federal officials absolutely immune from state law tort suits for conduct within the scope of their employment), with Johns v. Pettibone Corp., 769 F.2d 724, 728 (CA11 1985), and Araujo v. Welch, 742 F.2d 802, 804 (CA3 1984) (federal official's conduct absolutely immune only if within scope of employment and discretionary).
In determining the propriety of shielding an official from suit under the circumstances, this Court has long favored a "functional" inquiry -- immunity attaches to particular official functions, not to particular offices. See, e.g., Forrester v. White, ante at 484 U. S. 224; Harlow v. Fitzgerald, 457 U. S. 800, 457 U. S. 811-812 (1982); Doe v. McMillan, 412 U.S. at 412 U. S. 319-320; Barr v. Matteo, 360 U. S. 564, 360 U. S. 572-573 (1959). The adoption of this functional approach reflects the Court's concern, expressed in Doe, that federal officials be granted absolute immunity only insofar as the benefits of immunity outweigh the costs. Because the benefits of official immunity lie principally in avoiding disruption of governmental functions, the inquiry into whether absolute immunity is warranted in a particular context depends on the degree to which the official function would suffer under the threat of prospective litigation.
"to discretionary acts at those levels of government where the concept of duty encompasses the sound exercise of discretionary authority."
360 U.S. at 360 U. S. 575 (footnote omitted). Moreover, Barr did not purport to depart from the widely followed common law rule that only discretionary functions are immune from liability, see W. Keeton, D. Dobbs, R. Keeton, & D. Owen, Prosser and Keeton on Law of Torts 1059-1060 (5th ed.1984).

References: § 1442
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v.