Frank Baptist v. Rodney Chandler
This text of Frank Baptist v. Rodney Chandler (Frank Baptist v. Rodney Chandler) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.
Opinion
United States Court of Appeals For the Eighth Circuit ___________________________
No. 22-1718 ___________________________
Frank Baptist
lllllllllllllllllllllPlaintiff - Appellee
v.
Rodney Chandler, in his individual capacity
lllllllllllllllllllllDefendant - Appellant ____________
Appeal from United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas - Central ____________
Submitted: April 24, 2023 Filed: April 27, 2023 [Unpublished] ____________
Before KELLY, ERICKSON, and STRAS, Circuit Judges. ____________
PER CURIAM.
Frank Baptist, a former employee of Arkansas Rehabilitation Services, brought this action against his former supervisor, Rodney Chandler. Baptist raised claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and the Arkansas Civil Rights Act. Chandler moved to dismiss the complaint based on qualified immunity, the district court1 denied the motion, and Chandler filed this interlocutory appeal.
An interlocutory order denying qualified immunity is immediately appealable. See Stanley v. Finnegan, 899 F.3d 623, 625 (8th Cir. 2018) (interlocutory order denying motion to dismiss § 1983 claims against public official based on qualified immunity is immediately appealable); see also Langford v. Norris, 614 F.3d 445, 455 (8th Cir. 2010) (in civil rights action against state officials, denial of statutory immunity under Arkansas law is immediately appealable). Reviewing the district court’s qualified immunity determination de novo and viewing the complaint in the light most favorable to Baptist, we conclude that the district court properly denied the motion to dismiss. See Faulk v. City of St. Louis, 30 F.4th 739, 744 (8th Cir. 2022) (denial of motion to dismiss on qualified immunity grounds is reviewed de novo, viewing complaint in light most favorable to plaintiff and accepting all factual allegations as true); see also City of Fayetteville v. Romine, 284 S.W.3d 10, 13 (Ark. 2008) (discussing qualified immunity afforded state employees under Arkansas law). Accordingly, we affirm. See 8th Cir. R. 47B. ______________________________
1 The Honorable Kristine G. Baker, United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Arkansas.
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