MN SF4592

Governmental employers become liable for injuries caused by government employees acting under color of law who violate constitutional or statutory rights of individuals under U.S. or Minnesota law.

Individual government employees are exempt from financial liability for such violations, with the governmental employer named as the proper defendant instead.

Claims are not subject to common law immunity, qualified immunity, sovereign immunity, or statutory immunities, though judicial and legislative immunity remain protected.

Plaintiffs must prove violations by preponderance of evidence within three years, with courts evaluating use of force from the perspective of a reasonable employee confronted with immediate circumstances, not later-discovered facts.

Prevailing plaintiffs recover reasonable attorney fees and litigation costs; courts may find constitutional violations constitute just cause for employee termination; all case documents are subject to public disclosure.