Harlow v. Fitzgerald, , was a case decided by the United States Supreme Court involving the doctrines of qualified immunity

Qualified immunity

Qualified immunity is a doctrine in U.S. federal law that arises in cases brought against state officials under 42 U.S.C Section 1983 and against federal officials under Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents, 403 U.S. 388 . Qualified immunity shields government officials from liability for the...

 and absolute immunity

Absolute immunity

Absolute immunity is a form of legal immunity in contrast to qualified immunity. While qualified immunity, by its very nature, carries with it a set of conditions that must be fulfilled in order for the immunity to attach, an absolute immunity is unconditional....

. It is occasionally falsely stated that the Court held that presidential aides were not entitled to absolute immunity, but that question was reserved for remand under the standard articulated by the Court.