Michael Holmes v. Sarah Steelman and Eric Schmitt

Summary

The Court held that the State Legal Expense Fund did not become obligated to pay the former officers’ judgment until Holmes asserted his claim, so the statutory version then in effect governed and barred payment for claims against police officers. Applying that version of the statute was not a retrospective law because the officers had no vested right to SLEF payment when their misconduct occurred. The Court vacated the circuit court’s judgment and remanded the cause.