Qualified immunity bars civil-rights damages claims against government officials unless the plaintiff can show the official violated a "clearly established" constitutional right — usually meaning a prior case with nearly identical facts. The Supreme Court has repeatedly applied the doctrine narrowly, ruling for officials even where conduct seemed clearly wrongful.
Recent reform efforts include the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act (qualified-immunity elimination for police, passed House but not Senate), state-level reforms (Colorado, New Mexico, NYC), and bipartisan academic critique (Justices Thomas and Sotomayor have separately questioned the doctrine).
Defenders argue qualified immunity protects public servants from liability for split-second judgment calls. Critics argue it blocks accountability for clear constitutional violations and shifts burden to taxpayers when paid out.