United States Supreme Court
Federal Aviation Administration v. Cooper, 10-1024
In an airline pilot's suit alleging that government agencies violated the Privacy Act of 1974 by unlawfully disclosing his confidential medical information, thereby causing him mental and emotional distress, the Ninth Circuit's decision in favor of the plaintiff is reversed, where: 1) the Privacy Act, which allows recovery against the government for "actual damages," does not unequivocally authorize an award of damages for mental or emotional distress as "actual damages"; and 2) accordingly, the Act does not waive the federal government’s sovereign immunity from liability for such harms.
Appellate Information
- Decided 03/28/2012
- Published 03/28/2012
Judges
- Alito
Court
- United States Supreme Court