Opinion ID: 395173
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Immunity Principles

Text: 8 In general, executive officials charged with constitutional violations are entitled to only qualified immunity from personal damages liability. Butz v. Economou, 438 U.S. 478, 508, 98 S.Ct. 2894, 2911-12, 57 L.Ed.2d 895 (1978). However, the Supreme Court has recognized exceptional situations where it is demonstrated that absolute immunity is essential for the conduct of the public business. Id. at 507, 98 S.Ct. at 2911. In identifying such situations, the Court has undertaken  'a considered inquiry into the immunity historically accorded the relevant official at common law and the interests behind it.'  Id. at 508, 98 S.Ct. at 2912 (quoting Imbler v. Pachtman, 424 U.S. 409, 421, 96 S.Ct. 984, 990, 47 L.Ed.2d 128 (1976)). 9 The immunity of judges for acts within their jurisdiction has long existed at common law. Bradley v. Fisher, 80 U.S. (13 Wall.) 335, 20 L.Ed. 646 (1872). The same considerations underlying the common-law immunity of judges provided the basis for a commonlaw immunity of prosecutors. Imbler v. Pachtman, supra, 424 U.S. at 422-423, 96 S.Ct. at 991-92. Thus, prosecutors have been deemed quasi-judicial officers 7 entitled to the absolute immunity granted judges when their activities are intimately associated with the judicial phase of the criminal process. Id. at 430, 96 S.Ct. at 994-95. 10 Ample justification exists for the protection afforded to those making prosecutorial decisions. 11 The public trust of the prosecutor's office would suffer if he were constrained in making every decision by the consequences in terms of his own potential liability in a suit for damages. Such suits could be expected with some frequency, for a defendant often will transform his resentment at being prosecuted into the ascription of improper and malicious actions to the State's advocate. 12 Id. at 424-425, 96 S.Ct. at 992. 13 In line with its origins, the scope of prosecutorial immunity is limited to performance of quasi-judicial functions. As this court has made clear, absolute immunity does not extend to a prosecutor engaged in essentially investigative or administrative functions. Halperin v. Kissinger, 606 F.2d 1192, 1208 (D.C.Cir.1979), aff'd by equally divided Court per curiam, --- U.S. ----, 101 S.Ct. 3132, 69 L.Ed.2d 367 (1981); Briggs v. Goodwin, 569 F.2d 10, 21 (D.C.Cir.1977), cert. denied, 437 U.S. 904, 98 S.Ct. 3089, 57 L.Ed.2d 1133 (1978); Apton v. Wilson, 506 F.2d 83, 93 (D.C.Cir.1974). However, when a prosecutor is engaged in initiating a prosecution, his absolute immunity from civil suit is firmly established. Imbler v. Pachtman, supra, 424 U.S. at 431, 96 S.Ct. at 995. 8