⚖ Oral Arguments, with Context

The Ninth Circuit hears prison officers' appeal over the forcible removal of Jackson from his cell. Jackson says he lay on his bunk with his hands behind his back, but officers shocked and struck him. The officers will argue that he posed a security threat and refused to submit to restraints. The district judge found disputed facts and denied the officers qualified immunity before trial. Qualified immunity generally shields officials from damages unless they violate clearly established rights. The argument asks what the video proves, which disputes need a jury, and whether existing law clearly prohibited the alleged conduct. The Eighth Amendment's excessive-force test distinguishes good-faith discipline from force used maliciously to cause harm.

Jackson v. Stolk, et al. (No. 25-6898) — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, argued October 29, 2026.