1.   As government officials, the officers were entitled to assert a qualified immunity defense.

2.   Carnes cleared from liability West Clayton Elementary principal Ralph Matthews, former assistant principal R.G. Roberts, Billingslea and Morgan, citing the legal doctrine of qualified immunity.

3.   Citing his qualified immunity, Behrens sought to have the suit dismissed.

4.   I concede that every added interlocutory appeal will serve the interests that underlie qualified immunity to some extent, for each will help a government defendant terminate meritless litigation.

5.   III Several important practical considerations also favor limiting the number of interlocutory qualified immunity appeals to one.

6.   In practical terms, qualified immunity is a powerful shield that makes it extremely hard to win a suit against a protected official.

7.   IV In sum, purpose, precedent and practicality all argue for one interlocutory qualified immunity appeal per case and no more.

8.   Police departments have answered that question by using a defense known as qualified immunity.

9.   Qualified immunity specially protects public officials from the specter of damages liability for judgment calls made in a legally uncertain environment.

10.   The appeals court only ruled that the guards were not entitled, in theory, to even raise the question of qualified immunity.