Opinion ID: 755606
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: jurisdiction

Text: 11 This appeal is before us on the district court's denial of the defendants' motion to dismiss the plaintiff's complaint. Ordinarily, the denial of a defendant's motion to dismiss is not an appealable order. United States v. Furlett, 974 F.2d 839, 842 (7th Cir.1992). When the denial of a motion to dismiss which is predicated on a claim of qualified immunity turns on an issue of law, however, it is an appealable 'final decision' within the meaning of 28 U.S.C. § 1291 notwithstanding the absence of a final judgment. Behrens v. Pelletier, 516 U.S. 299, 116 S.Ct. 834, 838-39, 133 L.Ed.2d 773 (1996) (citing Mitchell v. Forsyth, 472 U.S. 511, 526, 105 S.Ct. 2806, 86 L.Ed.2d 411 (1985)); Khuans v. School Dist. 110, 123 F.3d 1010, 1013 (7th Cir.1997). Similarly, the denial of a substantial claim of absolute immunity is appealable before final judgment has been entered. Mitchell, 472 U.S. at 525, 105 S.Ct. 2806. Such denials are appealable because qualified (as well as absolute) immunity is an entitlement not to stand trial, not just a defense to liability, and is effectively lost if a case is erroneously permitted to go to trial. Mitchell, 472 U.S. at 526, 105 S.Ct. 2806; Khuans, 123 F.3d at 1013 (citing Behrens, 516 U.S. 299, 116 S.Ct. at 839-40, 133 L.Ed.2d 773). Since this is a motion to dismiss, we assume that all of the facts of the complaint are true, rendering the applicability of qualified (or absolute) immunity a purely legal question over which we have jurisdiction. Khuans, 123 F.3d at 1013. Accordingly, we proceed to the defendants' contentions, examining them de novo.