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No. 24-362October Term 2024Decided Jun 12, 2025

Docket 24-362October Term 2024 (2024–2025)

Curtrina Martin, Individually and as Parent and Next Friend of G. W., a Minor, et al., Petitioners v. United States, et al.

This case involves a lawsuit against the United States under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) after FBI agents mistakenly executed a no-knock search warrant at the wrong home.

Case status

Current stage
Decided
Latest event
Decision released Jun 12, 2025
Case AcceptedJan 27, 2025
Arguments HeardApr 29, 2025
Decision ReleasedJun 12, 2025
What it's about

This case involves a lawsuit against the United States under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) after FBI agents mistakenly executed a no-knock search warrant at the wrong home. The Supreme Court addressed whether the Supremacy Clause provides the government a defense in such suits and whether the FTCA's "law enforcement proviso" overrides the Act's discretionary-function exception.

Question presented

1. Does the Supremacy Clause prevent individuals from suing the federal government under the Federal Tort Claims Act when federal employees’ actions, even if negligent or wrongful, are related to carrying out federal policy and can be interpreted as following federal laws? 2. Is the discretionary-function exception, which usually protects the government from being sued for certain decisions made by its employees, always inapplicable when dealing with claims related to law enforcement officers’ actions that fall under the intentional torts category?

Case path

United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit / Decision released Jun 12, 2025

Area

Decided Supreme Court case