Opinion ID: 1652184
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Qualified Immunity for Individual Defendants Howse and Cook

Text: ¶ 14. Dr. Howse and Dr. Cook claim they are entitled as individuals to the defense of qualified immunity, under both federal and state law standards. While it is a close question, we agree with the appellants on the threshold issue of whether Howse and Cook were performing discretionary duties when they implemented the reduction in force plan. An official acts within his discretionary authority when he performs nonministerial acts within the boundaries of his official capacity. Tamez v. City of San Marcos, 118 F.3d 1085, 1091-92 (5th Cir.1997). As head of GCRL, Howse decided whether to request the declaration of financial exigency. And while GCRL was required to get final approval from IHL for actions taken under the reduction in force plan, it was Howse and Cook who designed the criteria for implementing the plan. Their actions here were not pursuant to specific orders, or spelled out in minute detail beforehand. See id. Thus, some degree of deliberation or judgment characterized the actions of the defendants and as such these actions are discretionary. ¶ 15. Whether an official protected by qualified immunity may be held personally liable for an allegedly unlawful official action generally turns on the objective legal reasonableness of the action, assessed in light of the legal rules that were clearly established at the time it was taken. The Fifth Circuit has recently outlined this standard as it relates to the employment context: To determine whether qualified immunity applies, a court must first determine whether the plaintiff has asserted a violation of a constitutional right. Siegert v. Gilley, 500 U.S. 226, 231, 111 S.Ct. 1789, 1793, 114 L.Ed.2d 277 (1991). This determination is made using currently applicable constitutional standards. Nerren v. Livingston Police Department, 86 F.3d at 473. If so, the court must then decide if the defendant's conduct was objectively reasonable, using the standards applicable at the time the events occurred. Id; Johnston v. City of Houston, 14 F.3d at 1059. If, upon viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the nonmovant, reasonable public officials could differ on the lawfulness of the defendant's actions, the defendant is entitled to qualified immunity. Anderson v. Creighton, 483 U.S. 635, 639, 107 S.Ct. 3034, 3038, 97 L.Ed.2d 523 (1987), citing Pfannstiel v. City of Marion, 918 F.2d 1178, 1183 (5th Cir.1990). Southard v. Texas Bd. of Criminal Justice, 114 F.3d 539, 550 (5th Cir.1997). Stated in simple terms, officials performing discretionary functions are shielded from civil damages liability as long as their actions could reasonably have been thought consistent with the rights they are alleged to have violated. Anderson, 483 U.S. at 638, 107 S.Ct. 3034. ¶ 16. Qualified immunity will not protect officials who knowingly violate the law. See Malley v. Briggs, 475 U.S. 335, 106 S.Ct. 1092, 89 L.Ed.2d 271 (1986). As we will discuss, this Court is remanding for more specific findings and conclusions on the issue of whether Howse and Cook intentionally discriminated against Ramiah and Lakshmi. The issue of qualified immunity is dependent upon this determination, since it can fairly be said that intentional discrimination on the basis of race or ethnic heritage would constitute objectively unreasonable grounds on which to terminate the plaintiffs. ¶ 17. The issue of qualified immunity for the various state law claims against Howse and Cook as individuals is resolved similarly. Discretionary duties are those positively imposed by law but which are dependent upon an officer's judgment or discretion. See Bankston v. Pass Rd. Tire Ctr., Inc., 611 So.2d 998, 1008-09 (Miss.1992). Common law qualified immunity has traditionally sought to protect the discretion of public officials so that those officials would not be deterred by the threat of suit from making decisions and formulating policies that are in the public good. State v. Lewis, 498 So.2d 321, 322 (Miss.1986); T.M. v. Noblitt, 650 So.2d 1340, 1343 (Miss.1995). However, qualified immunity does not protect those who engage in egregious behavior: Our law thus directs that a governmental official has no immunity to a civil action for damages if his breach of a legal duty causes injury and (1) that duty is ministerial in nature, or (2) that duty involves the use of discretion and the governmental actor greatly or substantially exceeds his authority and in the course thereof causes harm, or (3) the governmental actor commits an intentional tort. Grantham v. Mississippi Dept. of Corrections, 522 So.2d 219, 225 (Miss.1988). Ramiah and Lakshmi claimed that the appellants exercised excessive authority and in effect committed an intentional tort. If this is found by the chancellor to be true, then qualified immunity for the state law claims does not apply.