Civil Rights & Municipal Liability

Secured summary judgement and won appeal in favor of a municipality under the Recreational Land Use Act and the Tort Claims Act in a death action suit.

Secured summary judgment in favor of a township and its police department in a suit relating to a motor vehicle pursuit and fatal crash where the court concluded our clients owed no duty to the plaintiff as a matter of law

Obtained summary judgment, affirmed by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, of civil rights claims, including Fourth Amendment violation claims based on individual and municipal liability, for a municipality and borough official.

Obtained dismissal of civil rights claims, including false arrest and selective prosecution, and RICO violation claim, for police officer in a federal court case.

Obtained dismissal of civil rights claims, including malicious prosecution, wrongful seizure and excessive force, as well as state law claims, for nonprofit organization and law enforcement officer in two federal court cases.

Received favorable federal jury verdict when it was decided that police officers who shot a Warminster man in March 2006 did not use excessive force. Three Warminster Township officers and a Warrington Township officer were accused of denying a man his civil rights by shooting him as he ran. The police believed that he possessed a loaded gun. After he was shot, the police discovered he had brandished an unloaded pellet gun. The suit, filed by the man's parents, sought $3 million in compensatory and punitive damages.