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Defending Police and Jail Liability Claims Under §1983: Qualified Immunity, Medical Care, and Municipal Exposure

Police and jail §1983 claims are won or lost on the record defense counsel builds early. Learn to assert qualified immunity, use body-camera evidence at summary judgment, separate individual from municipal liability, and narrow Monell and medical-care claims before trial.

2026-11-19 14:30:00

Program Details

2026-11-19 14:30:00

2026-11-19 14:30:00

2h CLE Credits

2026-11-19 14:30:00

Program Details

2026-11-19 14:30:00

Program Details

2026-11-19 14:30:00

Over 1,000+ webinars

2026-11-19 14:30:00

Course Overview

In a §1983 case, the officer and the county do not share the same defense

2026-11-19 14:30:00

Section 1983 claims arising from police encounters and jail operations reach far beyond the officer on scene. Plaintiffs pursue individual officers, jail personnel, sheriffs, counties, and municipalities. Each defendant stands on different legal ground. Each needs a different record to win.

Assert qualified immunity, and the fight turns on clearly established law. Defend excessive force, and it turns on constitutional reasonableness. Rely on body-camera footage, and it can decide summary judgment. Defend jail medical care, and deliberate indifference sets the bar. Face Monell exposure, and causation decides how far liability reaches.

You walk out with a practical defense framework for the pleading, summary judgment, and trial stages. You learn to separate individual from municipal liability and narrow claims before trial. You learn to build defenses on policies, records, expert evidence, and institutional practices. That record-building judgment comes from defense counsel who try these cases, not from a template.

Format

CLE Credit

2h CLE Credits

Level

Intermediate

Length

2

Key topics that will be covered

01
Qualified Immunity Strategy
How clearly established law determines when and how you assert qualified immunity for individual officers.
02
Force and Constitutional Claims
How constitutional reasonableness shapes your defense of excessive force, search and seizure, and First Amendment claims.
03
Body-Camera Evidence
How body-camera footage changes the factual record you build for summary judgment.
04
Jail Medical-Care Defense
How deliberate indifference sets the standard you must defeat in jail medical-care claims.
05
Individual Versus Municipal Liability
How Monell and causation let you separate individual officer liability from municipal exposure.
06
Policy-Backed Summary Judgment
How policies, records, and expert evidence narrow claims before trial and support summary judgment.

Program schedule

clock 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm EST

Defending Individual Officers: Qualified Immunity, Excessive Force, and Constitutional Claims

This session provides defense counsel with a practical framework for defending individual officers in §1983 litigation arising from police encounters and alleged constitutional violations. The discussion will address qualified immunity, excessive force, unlawful searches and seizures, and First Amendment claims, with emphasis on developing the factual and legal record needed to defeat claims at the pleading, summary judgment, and trial stages.

Steve P. InmanSteve P. Inman
Sylvia AcevesSylvia Aceves
clock 3:40 pm - 4:40 pm EST

Defending Jail and Municipal Liability: Medical Care, Monell, and Causation

This session focuses on defending counties, municipalities, sheriffs, and jail personnel against §1983 claims arising from detention and jail operations. Particular attention will be given to inadequate medical-care claims, deliberate indifference, Monell liability, and causation, with practical strategies for narrowing claims before trial and developing defenses supported by policies, records, expert evidence, and institutional practices.

Steve P. InmanSteve P. Inman
Sylvia AcevesSylvia Aceves
Steve P. Inman

Steve P. Inman

County of San Diego

Sylvia Aceves

Sylvia Aceves

County of San Diego

Steve P. Inman

Steve P. Inman

County of San Diego

Steve P. Inman is a Supervising Deputy County Counsel for the County of San Diego, where he represents the County and San Diego Sheriff’s Office personnel in civil rights litigation arising from jail and patrol incidents. His practice directly includes wrongful-death, inadequate-medical-care, unlawful-search-and-seizure, and excessive-force claims.

Education & Credentials

Steve is admitted to practice in California, before the U.S. District Courts for the Central, Southern, and Eastern Districts of California, and before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He has also been admitted pro hac vice in multiple other judicial districts throughout the country.

Recognition & Leadership

Steve was recognized as a California Super Lawyers Rising Star from 2012 through 2014. Before joining the County of San Diego, he represented insurance policyholders in coverage and bad-faith lawsuits and other complex litigation and authored multiple publications addressing insurance recovery.

Professional Involvement

Steve previously held in-house legal positions as Director of Legal Affairs at Welk Reports and Director of Legal Affairs & Litigation at TV Guide. His professional experience therefore spans government practice, private litigation, and in-house legal work, including complex litigation and legal-risk management.

Experience

During more than six years with the County of San Diego, Steve has represented the County and Sheriff’s Office personnel in civil rights litigation arising from jail and patrol incidents. He has won state and federal trials and obtained multiple summary-judgment victories in matters involving wrongful death, inadequate medical care, unlawful searches and seizures, and excessive force. His current defense practice provides direct experience with evaluating civil rights liability arising from deaths and serious injuries involving government personnel.
Sylvia Aceves

Sylvia Aceves

County of San Diego

Sylvia Aceves is a trial attorney in San Diego, California, serving as Supervising Deputy County Counsel. She graduated from the University of California, Irvine, in 2005 and Chapman University School of Law in 2009. During law school, she served as Articles Editor and Assistant Symposium Editor for the Chapman Journal of Criminal Justice and as a judicial extern to the Honorable Erithe Smith at the United States Bankruptcy Court. Following law school, she joined Liberty Mutual as an attorney in the Primary Legal Group, where she handled court appearances and depositions and pursued case resolutions through mediations and informal settlement negotiations. Her trial experience includes serving as second chair in five catastrophic injury trials and as lead trial counsel in eleven jury trials that proceeded to verdict.

Education & Credentials

Sylvia Aceves graduated from the University of California, Irvine, in 2005 and Chapman University School of Law in 2009. During law school, she served as Articles Editor and Assistant Symposium Editor for the Chapman Journal of Criminal Justice and completed a judicial externship with the Honorable Erithe Smith at the United States Bankruptcy Court.

Recognition & Leadership

Sylvia Aceves served as Articles Editor and Assistant Symposium Editor for the Chapman Journal of Criminal Justice while attending Chapman University School of Law. She currently serves as Supervising Deputy County Counsel.

Professional Involvement

Sylvia Aceves began her legal career at Liberty Mutual as an attorney in the Primary Legal Group following her graduation from law school. In that role, she attended court appearances and depositions and pursued case resolutions through mediations and informal settlement negotiations.

Experience

Sylvia Aceves is a trial attorney in San Diego, California, serving as Supervising Deputy County Counsel. Her trial experience includes serving as second chair trial attorney in five catastrophic injury trials and as lead trial counsel in eleven jury trials tried to verdict. Her earlier experience at Liberty Mutual involved court appearances, depositions, mediations, and informal settlement negotiations.
Steve P. Inman

Steve P. Inman

County of San Diego

Steve P. Inman is a Supervising Deputy County Counsel for the County of San Diego, where he represents the County and San Diego Sheriff’s Office personnel in civil rights litigation arising from jail and patrol incidents. His practice directly includes wrongful-death, inadequate-medical-care, unlawful-search-and-seizure, and excessive-force claims.

Education & Credentials

Steve is admitted to practice in California, before the U.S. District Courts for the Central, Southern, and Eastern Districts of California, and before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He has also been admitted pro hac vice in multiple other judicial districts throughout the country.

Recognition & Leadership

Steve was recognized as a California Super Lawyers Rising Star from 2012 through 2014. Before joining the County of San Diego, he represented insurance policyholders in coverage and bad-faith lawsuits and other complex litigation and authored multiple publications addressing insurance recovery.

Professional Involvement

Steve previously held in-house legal positions as Director of Legal Affairs at Welk Reports and Director of Legal Affairs & Litigation at TV Guide. His professional experience therefore spans government practice, private litigation, and in-house legal work, including complex litigation and legal-risk management.

Experience

During more than six years with the County of San Diego, Steve has represented the County and Sheriff’s Office personnel in civil rights litigation arising from jail and patrol incidents. He has won state and federal trials and obtained multiple summary-judgment victories in matters involving wrongful death, inadequate medical care, unlawful searches and seizures, and excessive force. His current defense practice provides direct experience with evaluating civil rights liability arising from deaths and serious injuries involving government personnel.
Sylvia Aceves

Sylvia Aceves

County of San Diego

Sylvia Aceves is a trial attorney in San Diego, California, serving as Supervising Deputy County Counsel. She graduated from the University of California, Irvine, in 2005 and Chapman University School of Law in 2009. During law school, she served as Articles Editor and Assistant Symposium Editor for the Chapman Journal of Criminal Justice and as a judicial extern to the Honorable Erithe Smith at the United States Bankruptcy Court. Following law school, she joined Liberty Mutual as an attorney in the Primary Legal Group, where she handled court appearances and depositions and pursued case resolutions through mediations and informal settlement negotiations. Her trial experience includes serving as second chair in five catastrophic injury trials and as lead trial counsel in eleven jury trials that proceeded to verdict.

Education & Credentials

Sylvia Aceves graduated from the University of California, Irvine, in 2005 and Chapman University School of Law in 2009. During law school, she served as Articles Editor and Assistant Symposium Editor for the Chapman Journal of Criminal Justice and completed a judicial externship with the Honorable Erithe Smith at the United States Bankruptcy Court.

Recognition & Leadership

Sylvia Aceves served as Articles Editor and Assistant Symposium Editor for the Chapman Journal of Criminal Justice while attending Chapman University School of Law. She currently serves as Supervising Deputy County Counsel.

Professional Involvement

Sylvia Aceves began her legal career at Liberty Mutual as an attorney in the Primary Legal Group following her graduation from law school. In that role, she attended court appearances and depositions and pursued case resolutions through mediations and informal settlement negotiations.

Experience

Sylvia Aceves is a trial attorney in San Diego, California, serving as Supervising Deputy County Counsel. Her trial experience includes serving as second chair trial attorney in five catastrophic injury trials and as lead trial counsel in eleven jury trials tried to verdict. Her earlier experience at Liberty Mutual involved court appearances, depositions, mediations, and informal settlement negotiations.

Credits by state

AK2.0
AL2.0
AR2.0
AZ2.0
CA2.0
CO2.0
CT2.0
DC2.0
DE2.0
FL2.0
GA2.0
HI2.0
IA2.0
ID2.0
IL2.0
IN2.0
KS2.0
KY2.0
LA2.0
MA2.0
MD2.0
ME2.0
MI2.0
MN2.0
MO2.4
MS2.0
MT2.0
NC2.0
ND2.0
NE2.0
NH120.0
NJ2.0
NM2.0
NV2.0
NY2.0
OH2.0
OK2.5
OR2.0
PA2.0
RI2.5
SC2.0
SD2.0
TN2.0
TX2.0
UT2.0
VA2.0
VT2.0
WA2.0
WI2.0
WV2.4
WY2.0

1000+

Live stream programs

24/7

Access to live webinars & recordings

70,000+

Trusted by Legal Professionals

1000+

Live stream programs

24/7

Access to live webinars & recordings

70,000+

Trusted by Legal Professionals

1000+

Live stream programs

24/7

Access to live webinars & recordings

10,000+

Trusted by Legal Professionals

1000+

Live stream programs

24/7

Access to live webinars & recordings

70,000+

Trusted by Legal Professionals

MCLE Credits

Alabama
Pending
Alaska
Approved
Arizona
Approved
Arkansas
Approved
California
Approved
Colorado
Pending
Connecticut
Approved
Delaware
Pending
District of Columbia
No Required
Florida
Approved
Georgia
Pending
Hawaii
Approved
Idaho
Pending
Illinois
Approved
Indiana
Pending
Iowa
Pending
Kansas
Pending
Kentucky
Pending
Louisiana
Pending
Maine
Pending
Maryland
No Required
Massachusetts
No Required
Michigan
No Required
Minnesota
Pending
Mississippi
Pending
Missouri
Approved
Montana
Pending
Nebraska
Pending
Nevada
Pending
New Hampshire
Approved
New Jersey
Approved
New Mexico
Approved
New York
Approved
North Carolina
Pending
North Dakota
Approved
Ohio
Pending
Oklahoma
Pending
Oregon
Pending
Pennsylvania
Approved
Rhode Island
Pending
South Carolina
Pending
South Dakota
No Required
Tennessee
Pending
Texas
Approved
Utah
Pending
Vermont
Approved
Virginia
Not Eligible
Washington
Approved
West Virginia
Pending
Wisconsin
Pending
Wyoming
Pending

Alabama

Requirements

The Alabama State Bar MCLE Commission requires attorneys to complete 12 credits, including 1 ethics, by December 31 of each year. All credits must be reported by February 15 of the following year. A maximum of 12 credits, including 1 ethics credit, may be carried over for 1 year only.  

Formats

  • Attorneys can earn unlimited “live” credit through live seminars, live webcasts, and co-sponsored locations with MyLAWCLE-Alabama approved programs
  • Attorneys are limited to 6 credits per compliance period of “online” programs through MyLAwCLE On-Demand programs