Wright v. Rolette County’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

22 federal appellate · 8 district · 3 state decisions

Most-quoted passages

The sentences later courts lift from this opinion, ranked by how many decisions quote each — the parts of the opinion doing the work. These counts are smaller than the citation total above because most of the 53 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. ““Government officials who perform discretionary functions are entitled to qualified immunity unless their alleged conduct violated clearly established federal constitutional or statutory rights of which a reasonable person in their positions would have known.” Ottman v. City of Independence, Missouri, 341 F.3d 751, 756 (8th Cir.2003). We analyze qualified immunity issue in two steps. First, we ask whether the facts as asserted by the plaintiff “show the officer’s conduct violated a constitutional right.” Saucier v. Katz, 533 U.S. 194 , 201, 121 S.Ct. 2151 , 150 L.Ed.2d 272 (2001). If the answer is no, we grant qualified immunity. If the answer is yes, we go on to determine “whether the right was clearly established.” Id. “The relevant, dispositive inquiry in determin ing whether a right is clearly established is 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 .”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. Olson v. CITY OF ELK POINT, SD · Grayson ex rel. Estate of Grayson v. Ross

2. “Sexual harassment claims under section 1983 are analyzed under the same standards developed in Title VII litigation and the elements of a prima facie case are the same regardless of which statute the plaintiff uses to seek relief. See Moring v. Ark. Dep’t of Corr., 243 F.3d 452 , 455 (8th Cir.2001); see also Genosky v. Minnesota, 244 F.3d 989 , 993 (8th Cir.2001) (analyzing Title VII and section 1983 gender discrimination claims without using a different standard); Headley v. Bacon, 828 F.2d 1272 (8th Cir.1987) (holding cause of action under Title VII and section 1983 identical for purposes of res judicata); Cross v. Alabama, 49 F.3d 1490 , 1508 (11th Cir.1995) (elements of sex discrimination causes of action are the same under section 1983 and Title VII); Beardsley v. Webb, 30 F.3d 524, 529 (4th Cir.1994) (“Courts may apply the standards developed in Title VII litigation to similar litigation under § 1983.”); Hardin v. Stynchcomb, 691 F.2d 1364 , 1369 n. 16 (11th Cir.1982) (holding cause of action under Title VII and section 1983 the same); but see Annis v. County of Westchester, New York, 36 F.3d 251, 254 (2d Cir.1994) (“While we do not subscribe to a categorical view that sexual harassment equals sex discrimination, we do agree that harassment that transcends coarse, hostile and boorish behavior can rise to the level of a constitutional tort.”).”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. 898 F. Supp. 2d 433 - Torres v. Gonzalez

3. “He targeted Wright and made extremely vulgar, sexual comments about her, sometimes in front of her colleagues. Wright alleges that the harassment, which took place over a two-year period, offended and embarrassed her.... [Defendant’s] behavior was more serious than simple teasing, and it was not sporadic nor isolated. The effect of the harassment was so serious that Wright ultimately sought medical treatment for depression, high blood pressure, and anxiety caused by the harassment. Wright also alleges that she complained to [Defendant] and to the county and that nothing was done to stop the behavior. These facts, if proven to be true, support a claim for sexual harassment.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. 50 F. Supp. 3d 1084 - Jenkins v. University of Minnesota