Explore 25 court opinions on First Amendment Retaliation Claims By Public Employees. AI-powered plain English summaries, key holdings, and legal analysis.
25 recent cases analyzed in this topic area.
Officer's internal complaints not protected speech, CA5 rules
Cambric v. City of Corpus Christi, decided by Fifth Circuit on March 13, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Fifth Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment to the Cit...
Ninth Circuit Affirms Summary Judgment for City in Officer's Retaliation Case
Jones v. City of North Las Vegas, decided by Ninth Circuit on March 6, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Ninth Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment to the City ...
Officer's Retaliation and Due Process Claims Dismissed
Lettieri v. Town of Colesville, decided by Second Circuit on January 21, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Second Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a former police officer's claims that h...
NYPD officer's retaliation claim fails; speech not of public concern
Knight v. City of New York, decided by Second Circuit on January 13, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Second Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a lawsuit brought by a former NYPD officer,...
Teacher's private email complaints not protected speech, CA9 rules
Thompson v. Central Valley School District No 365, decided by Ninth Circuit on December 29, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Ninth Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary ...
Seventh Circuit Affirms Summary Judgment for Chicago in Arrest Case
Ryan O'Donnell v. City of Chicago, decided by Seventh Circuit on December 22, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Seventh Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment to ...
Fifth Circuit Affirms Dismissal of Retaliation Claim Against AG Paxton
Wang v. Paxton, decided by Fifth Circuit on December 11, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Fifth Circuit affirmed the district court's dismissal of a lawsuit brought by former Texas Assis...
Officer's internal complaints not protected speech, court rules
Baroni v. Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, decided by Second Circuit on December 2, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Second Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a lawsuit brought ...
Police Officer's Speech Not Protected by First Amendment When Made Pursuant to Official Duties
Miles Guptill v. City of Chattanooga, Tenn., decided by Sixth Circuit on November 26, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Sixth Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgme...
Fifth Circuit: No Racial Discrimination Claim for Police Officer
Sterling v. City of Jackson, decided by Fifth Circuit on November 17, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Fifth Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment to the City o...
Eleventh Circuit: County Road Maintenance Failure Not Due Process Violation
Lionel Alford v. Walton County, decided by Eleventh Circuit on November 17, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment to W...
Officer's internal complaints not protected speech, Ninth Circuit rules
Hawatmeh v. City of Henderson, decided by Ninth Circuit on November 7, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Ninth Circuit affirmed the district court's dismissal of a lawsuit brought by a fo...
Fifth Circuit Affirms Summary Judgment for County in Discrimination Suit
Jackson v. Tarrant County, decided by Fifth Circuit on October 29, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Fifth Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment to Tarrant Count...
Police officer's speech not protected, termination upheld
McDonald v. Board of Trustees of the Fire & Police Commissioners of Maywood, decided by Illinois Appellate Court on September 29, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The plaintiff, a former pol...
Speech Not Protected: Supervisor Not Liable for Retaliation
Dan McCaleb v. Michelle Long, decided by Sixth Circuit on September 16, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Sixth Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment to the defe...
Fifth Circuit: School employee's speech not protected if not matter of public concern
Jane Doe 1 v. City View Indep Sch Dist, decided by Fifth Circuit on September 4, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Fifth Circuit affirmed the district court's dismissal of a lawsuit broug...
Officer's internal complaints not protected speech, First Circuit rules
Hussey v. City of Cambridge, decided by First Circuit on August 15, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The First Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment to the City of ...
Former employee's internal complaints not protected speech under First Amendment
Jake Paul Heiney v. Donna Moore, decided by Sixth Circuit on August 13, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Sixth Circuit affirmed the district court's denial of a preliminary injunction so...
Ninth Circuit: Police internal complaints not protected speech
Lister v. City of Las Vegas, decided by Ninth Circuit on August 4, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Ninth Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment to the City of L...
Police officer's grievance not protected speech, 7th Cir. rules
Ruben Santoyo v. City of Chicago, decided by Seventh Circuit on July 25, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Seventh Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment to the C...
Fifth Circuit: School employee's speech not protected if not matter of public concern
Jane Doe 1 v. City View Indep Sch Dist, decided by Fifth Circuit on July 22, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Fifth Circuit affirmed the district court's dismissal of a lawsuit brought b...
Officer's speech not protected by First Amendment when made as part of official duties
Carter v. City of Shreveport, decided by Fifth Circuit on July 21, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Fifth Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment to the City of S...
Teacher's retaliation claim fails; speech not motivating factor
Sims v. Dallas Indep Sch Dist, decided by Fifth Circuit on May 16, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Fifth Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment to the Dallas In...
Eleventh Circuit Denies Whistleblower Retaliation Injunction
Alieda Maron v. Chief Financial Officer of Florida, decided by Eleventh Circuit on May 16, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Eleventh Circuit reviewed a district court's denial of a preli...
Police officer's speech not protected by First Amendment when made as part of official duties
Donald Nicodemus v. City of South Bend, decided by Seventh Circuit on May 15, 2025, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Seventh Circuit affirmed the district court's grant of summary judgment to ...