Mireles v. Waco

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Mireles v. Waco, 502 U.S. 9 (1991), was a Supreme Court case about whether a state judge can be sued for actions taken while presiding over a courtroom. The Court held that a state judge has absolute immunity from liability for acts performed in the course of their official judicial duties, even if those acts are unprofessional or criminal.

What happened: In Texas, a defense lawyer failed to appear at a scheduled hearing. The judge issued a bench warrant for the lawyer’s arrest and told police to “rough him up a little” to discourage skipping court dates. The lawyer later sued the judge for the beating.

The Court’s ruling: The Supreme Court, in a per curiam decision, said the judge could not be sued because the actions occurred while the judge was presiding over court and were part of judicial duties. This immunity protects judges from personal liability so they can perform their duties without fear of lawsuits.

Dissent: Justice Stevens disagreed, arguing that ordering police to use excessive force is not a judicial act. Justices Scalia and Kennedy also dissented, noting that the case was decided without full briefing and argument and that the issue was so rare that a Supreme Court ruling was unnecessary.