Owen v. City of Independence, , was a case decided by the United States Supreme Court, in which the court held that a municipality has no immunity from liability under Section 1983 flowing from its constitutional violations and may not assert the good faith of its officers as a defense to such liability.

Background

The city council voted to fire the city's chief of police and in doing so, violated his procedural due process rights to a pre-termination hearing. Plaintiff named the city and city council in the suit.

Opinion of the Court

In an opinion written by Justice Brennan

William J. Brennan, Jr.

William Joseph Brennan, Jr. was an American jurist who served as an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court from 1956 to 1990...

, the Court held that that a municipality has no immunity from liability under Section 1983 flowing from its constitutional violations and may not assert the good faith of its officers as a defense to such liability.