Van Pounds v. Cameron Smith, et al.

Whether courts should be allowed to view the facts and inferences in a light more favorable to public officials than to their victims, when ruling upon such officials’ qualified immunity-based motions for summary judgment.

Whether public officials who make a calculated choice to commit unlawful acts following weeks of deliberation and consultation with legal counsel, and who hide the full extent of their deliberations behind claims of attorney-client privilege, should be afforded the same degree of qualified immunity protection as police officers when compelled to make split-second decisions to use force in dangerous settings.

Whether, for purpose of determining qualified immunity, a public employee’s constitutional right to speak out as a private citizen on matters of public concern, free of governmental reaction reasonably likely to deter such speech, should be deemed “clearly established” by a body of relevant law.