Canton, Ohio, Loses Appeal on ‘Liability’

Local governments may be forced to pay monetary damages to people whose rights are violated by inadequately trained public employees, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously today.

Ruling in a case from Canton, Ohio, the justices said cities and towns may be held legally accountable if the inadequate training stemmed from governmental “deliberate indifference.”

In an opinion written by Justice Byron R. White, the court said the inadequate training also must be closely related to the ultimate injury suffered before local governments can be forced to pay damages.

The ruling, although a potential threat to municipal treasuries nationwide, might not result in numerous successful lawsuits.

White said the court was imposing a stringent standard for those filing such suits because any lesser standard would open local governments to “unprecedented liability” and saddle federal courts with “an endless exercise of second-guessing municipal employee-training programs.”

The court previously had ruled that the local government is not liable unless the injury stemmed from some unconstitutional official policy.

Setback for Canton

Today’s decision is a setback, but not a final defeat, for Canton officials who sought to kill a lawsuit by a woman who said police violated her rights by failing to get needed medical attention for her after she was arrested for speeding.

The city was sued by Geraldine Harris, who was arrested in April, 1978, on a speeding violation while driving her daughter to school.

She became incoherent after her arrest and slumped to the floor in the police station. However, police did not call for medical assistance.

After her release, a doctor determined she was suffering from several emotional ailments requiring hospitalization and subsequent outpatient treatment.

A jury found Harris was unreasonably denied medical attention and awarded her $200,000. However, the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals sent the case back for a new trial and the city appealed to the Supreme Court.

Today’s ruling returned the case to the 6th Circuit, which can now order a new trial or dismiss the suit.