No. 23-50October Term 2023Decided Jun 20, 2024
Chiaverini v. City of Napoleon, Ohio
The Supreme Court ruled that a Fourth Amendment malicious prosecution claim can proceed regarding a baseless criminal charge, even if other valid charges supported by probable cause were brought at the same time.
Case status
- Current stage
- Decided
- Latest event
- Decision released Jun 20, 2024
- What it's about
The Supreme Court ruled that a Fourth Amendment malicious prosecution claim can proceed regarding a baseless criminal charge, even if other valid charges supported by probable cause were brought at the same time. The Court rejected a lower court's rule that the presence of probable cause for any single charge automatically defeats a malicious prosecution claim for other baseless charges.
Question presented
May a Fourth Amendment malicious-prosecution claim proceed as to a baseless criminal charge so long as other charges brought alongside the baseless charge are supported by probable cause?
- Case path
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit / Decision released Jun 20, 2024
- Area
Criminal Procedure
Documents
Related cases




Grounding
- Grounding
- Primary-source trail available.
- Note
- Plain-English explainer. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.
- Checked
- Mar 30, 2026
- Method
- Methodology
Primary materials8
Supreme Court docket 23-50
docket | Mar 30, 2026
Primary case document
Supreme Court document | Mar 30, 2026
CourtListener docket record
docket | Mar 30, 2026
Questions Presented
brief | Mar 8, 2026
Chiaverini
opinion | Jun 20, 2024
opinion
opinion | Jun 20, 2024
Petition
brief | Jul 14, 2023
Lower Court Orders/Opinions
order | Apr 21, 2023