Tolan v. Cotton
United States Supreme Court
572 U.S. 650 (2014)
Relevant factsFree
Officer Cotton (defendant) shot Tolan (plaintiff) after Tolan rose (either to his knees per Tolan, or to his feet per the officers) and exclaimed a profanity in response to Cotton's rough handling of Tolan's mother during a mistaken stolen-vehicle stop; the trial court and Fifth Circuit granted Cotton summary judgment, resolving several disputed factual issues -- lighting conditions, the mother's demeanor, whether Tolan was shouting threats, and whether he was moving to intervene -- in Cotton's favor.
IssueFree
Whether summary judgment may only be granted when the evidence, viewed in the light most favorable to the non-movant, establishes that the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.