Supreme Court rules for police in Zorn v. Linton and reaffirms qualified immunity

The Supreme Court issued a per curiam opinion on March 23, 2026, reversing the Second Circuit and granting qualified immunity to Vermont Sergeant Jacob Zorn, who used an arm-lock to remove protester Shela Linton from the state capitol during a sit-in. The unsigned majority held that existing precedent did not clearly establish that Zorn's specific conduct violated the Constitution. Justice Sonia Sotomayor dissented, joined by the two other liberal justices, arguing a jury could find Zorn violated Linton's Fourth Amendment rights.