Opinion ID: 787387
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Legal Framework for Qualified Immunity Analysis

Text: 36 We review de novo the district court's denial of summary judgment on defendants' claim of qualified immunity. Luna v. Pico, 356 F.3d at 486. Summary judgment is appropriate if the evidence offered, viewed in the light most favorable to the non-moving party, demonstrates that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. See Cowan ex rel. Estate of Cooper v. Breen, 352 F.3d 756, 760 (2d Cir.2003); see also Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c). 37 In evaluating a summary judgment motion based on qualified immunity, we perform a two-part test. We ask first whether the facts, viewed in the light most favorable to the plaintiff, establish a constitutional violation. See Saucier v. Katz, 533 U.S. 194, 201, 121 S.Ct. 2151, 150 L.Ed.2d 272 (2001). If they do not, the plaintiff may not recover because he has suffered no wrong cognizable under § 1983. See id. If the facts do establish a constitutional violation, however, we proceed to a second inquiry, asking whether it would be clear to a reasonable officer that his conduct was unlawful in the situation he confronted. Id. at 202, 121 S.Ct. 2151. If a reasonable officer could have believed that the challenged conduct was lawful at the time of the violation, then qualified immunity bars the claim. See id.; Luna v. Pico, 356 F.3d at 490.