Barnes v. Felix

Summary

The Supreme Court held that the Fifth Circuit’s “moment‑of‑threat” rule, which limits Fourth Amendment excessive‑force analysis to the precise instant of perceived danger, is unconstitutional because it bars consideration of the totality of the circumstances; the Court vacated the appellate judgment and remanded for further proceedings applying a full‑context analysis. Justice Kagan wrote for a unanimous Court, and Justice Kavanaugh filed a concurring opinion.