United States Sixth Circuit

Police officers had actionable 42 U.S.C. section 1983 claims against supervisory officers, alleging retaliation for the exercise of their First Amendment rights, as speech intended to communicate potential wrongdoing of a fellow officer was a matter of public concern.

Appellate Information

• Argued 05/06/2003
• Decided 08/05/2003
• Published 08/05/2003

Judges

• Before KRUPANSKY, SILER and GILMAN, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Sixth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Robert R. Carl, II,Baker, Donelson, Bearman & Caldwell, Knoxville, TN, Diane Marie Messer (briefed), Wanda G. Sobieski (argued and briefed) Nanette J. Landen, Sobieski, Messer & Associates, Knoxville, TN, for Plaintiffs-Appellants.


• For Appellees:
  
• John A. Lucas (argued and briefed), Hunton & Williams, Knoxville, TN, Robert H. Watson, Jr., Watson & Hollow, Knoxville, TN, for Defendants-Appellees.