U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

Thomas v. Bruss

September 2, 2026

Summary

The Fifth Circuit reversed the district court’s denial of qualified‑immunity for the bystander officers, holding that clearly established law did not require them to intervene during the canine‑assisted arrest. The court affirmed that the proper standard of review for the summary‑judgment denial is de novo and that the plaintiff failed to show a controlling precedent imposing a duty to intervene.