davis scherer argued april decided june avoid conflicts interest order florida department highway safety motor vehicles department required proposed outside employment members florida highway patrol approved department appellee highway patrol employee originally received permission accept employment county sheriff office permission later revoked appellee refused quit job director highway patrol ordered appellee employment patrol terminated appellee administrative appeal pending department settled dispute reinstated friction appellee superiors continued resigned suspended patrol appellee filed present suit appellants certain present former officials department highway patrol seeking relief requested declaration appellants violated due process clause fourteenth amendment discharging without formal pretermination prompt hearing sought award money damages granting requested relief ultimately held appellants forfeited qualified immunity suit even though appellee due process rights clearly established time discharge appellants followed administrative regulations discharging appellee concluded therefore appellants belief legality conduct unreasonable entitled qualified immunity appeals affirmed held plaintiff seeks damages violation constitutional statutory rights may overcome defendant official qualified immunity showing rights clearly established time conduct issue appellee made showing whether official may prevail qualified immunity defense depends upon objective reasonableness conduct measured reference clearly established law circumstances relevant issue qualified immunity harlow fitzgerald pp district recognized authoritative precedent circuit constitutional right state employee pretermination prompt hearing well established time conduct question unreasonable fourteenth amendment due process principles department conclude appellee provided fundamentals due process thus district correctly held appellee demonstrated violation clearly established constitutional rights pp appellants forfeit qualified immunity suit violation federal constitutional rights merely failed comply clear state regulation appellee contended official violation clear state statute regulation although actionable deprive official qualified immunity damages violation statutory constitutional provisions view adopted disrupt proper balance interests vindication citizens constitutional rights public officials effective performance duties always fair sound policy demand official compliance statute regulation pain money damages officials subject plethora rules often voluminous ambiguous contradictory flux officials comply selectively circumstances officials err always side caution pp powell delivered opinion burger white rehnquist joined brennan filed opinion concurring part dissenting part marshall blackmun stevens joined post mitchell franks argued cause appellants briefs jim smith attorney general florida vicki gordon kaufman bruce minnick pamela assistant attorneys general richard wilkins argued cause amicus curiae urging reversal brief solicitor general lee acting assistant attorney general willard deputy solicitor general geller barbara herwig john cordes bruce rogow argued cause filed brief appellee michael helfer burt neuborne charles sims filed brief american civil liberties union amicus curiae urging affirmance justice powell delivered opinion appellants case challenge holding appeals state official loses qualified immunity suit deprivation federal constitutional rights found violated clear command state administrative regulation present controversy arose appellee gregory scherer employed florida highway patrol operator applied permission patrol work well escambia county sheriff office reserve deputy avoid conflicts interest order florida department highway safety motor vehicles required proposed outside employment patrol members approved department letter appellee troop commander capt sconiers dated september granted appellee permission accept work letter noted permission rescinded employment interfere duties department supp nd later month capt sconiers informed appellee memorandum permission accept employment revoked capt sconiers explained trial superiors highway patrol determined appellee reserve deputy duties conflict duties highway patrol appellee continued work second job despite revocation permission oral discussions exchange letters among appellee superiors ensued sgt clark appellee immediate superior advised appellee violating instructions appellee explained invested much money uniforms give work wiggins next highest officer chain command orally memorandum ordered appellee quit job appellee explained wiggins saw conflict two jobs quit second job sgt clark wiggins submitted memoranda capt sconiers described appellee continued employment conversations appellee appellee also wrote capt sconiers explaining saw reason resign outside employment advised capt sconiers recommended beach director florida highway patrol appellee suspended three days violation policy capt sconiers submitted number documents including letters approving appellee request rescinding approval appellee letter request subsequent letter explaining refusal quit job memoranda sgt clark wiggins basis documents beach october ordered appellee employment florida highway patrol terminated november appellee filed appeal florida career service commission commission heard appellee administrative appeal dismissal appellee department settled dispute settlement reinstated appellee backpay friction appellee superiors continued january appellee suspended patrol resigned avoid harassment remove cloud employability appellee filed present suit appellants district northern district florida seeking relief appellee complaint alleged appellants violated due process clause fourteenth amendment discharging appellee job without formal pretermination prompt hearing appellee requested declaration rights violated award money damages district granted requested relief violation appellee fourteenth amendment rights found appellee property interest job procedures followed appellants discharge appellee constitutionally inadequate fourteenth amendment declared unconstitutional florida statutory provisions governing removal state employees stat finally district concluded appellants forfeited qualified immunity suit appellee due process rights clearly established time october dismissal five days entry district order appeals fifth circuit decided weisbrod donigan appeals held florida officials violated due process rights discharging permanent state employee without pretermination prompt hearing motion reconsideration district found weisbrod required vacate prior holding appellants forfeited immunity violating appellee clearly established constitutional rights nevertheless reaffirmed award monetary damages reasoned proof official violated clearly established constitutional rights sole way overcome official claim qualified immunity applying totality circumstances test scheuer rhodes district held official violates agency explicit regulations force state law evidence conduct unreasonable respect noted personnel regulations florida highway patrol clearly required complete investigation charge opportunity employee respond writing district concluded appellants discharging appellee followed procedures contrary department rules regulations therefore appellants entitled qualified immunity belief legality challenged conduct unreasonable ibid explicitly relied upon official violation personnel regulation stating departmental order adopted prior appellee dismissal damages kind awarded ibid district order amending judgment discuss issue whether appellants violated appellee federal constitutional rights issue district relied upon previous opinion indicate personnel regulation relevant analysis appellee rights due process clause district also amended judgment declaring florida civil service statute unconstitutional state motion reconsideration informed statute repealed florida legislature district therefore declared unconstitutional provisions newly enacted civil service statute fla ch supp insofar fail provide prompt hearing appeals affirmed basis district opinion scherer graham noted probable jurisdiction consider whether appeals properly declared florida statute unconstitutional denied appellants claim qualified immunity appellants seek review district finding appellee constitutional rights violated appellee concedes district lacked jurisdiction adjudicate constitutionality florida statute enacted consider issue qualified immunity reverse ii present posture case district decision appellants violated appellee rights fourteenth amendment undisputed finding district based entirely upon federal constitutional law resolves merits appellee underlying claim relief however decide issue damages even defendants violate constitutional rights enjoy qualified immunity protects liability damages unless demonstrated conduct unreasonable applicable standard precise standard determining official may assert qualified immunity defense clarified recent cases see wood strickland butz economou harlow fitzgerald present case requires us consider application standard official conduct violated state regulation well provision federal constitution district analysis appellants qualified immunity written decision harlow fitzgerald supra rests upon totality circumstances surrounding appellee separation job applied standard scheuer rhodes subsequent cases recognized wood strickland supra totality circumstances test comprised two separate inquiries inquiry objective reasonableness defendant official conduct light governing law inquiry official subjective state mind harlow fitzgerald supra rejected inquiry state mind favor wholly objective standard harlow officials shielded liability civil damages insofar conduct violate clearly established statutory constitutional rights reasonable person known whether official may prevail qualified immunity defense depends upon objective reasonableness conduct measured reference clearly established law ibid deleted circumstances relevant issue qualified immunity appellee suggests however district judgment reconciled harlow two ways first appellee urges record evinces violation constitutional rights clearly established second appellee view district correctly found absent violation clearly established constitutional rights appellants violation state administrative regulation although irrelevant merits appellee underlying constitutional claim decisive qualified immunity question view neither submission consistent prior cases appellee contends district reliance qualified immunity analysis upon state regulation superfluous brief appellee federal constitutional right pretermination prompt hearing well established fifth circuit time conduct question district recognized rejecting appellee contention weisbrod donigan authoritative precedent contrary appeals case found state violated clearly established due process right discharged civil service employee without pretermination hearing unreasonable case fourteenth amendment due process principles department conclude appellee provided fundamentals due process stated district found appellee informed several times department objection second employment took advantage several opportunities present reasons believing permitted retain employment despite contrary rules patrol appellee statement reasons relevant information senior official made decision discharge appellee florida law provided full evidentiary hearing termination conclude district correctly held appellee demonstrated violation clearly established constitutional rights appellee second ground affirmance substance upon district relied appellee submits appellants failing comply clear state regulation forfeited qualified immunity suit violation federal constitutional rights appellee makes claim appellants violation state regulation either actionable bears upon claim constitutional right appellee asserts appellee also recognizes harlow fitzgerald makes immunity available officials whose conduct conforms standard objective legal reasonableness nonetheless appellee view official conduct contravenes statute regulation objectively reasonable officials fairly may expected conform conduct legal norms appellee also argues lawfulness official conduct statute regulation may determined early lawsuit motion summary judgment appellee urges therefore defendant official violation clear statute regulation although basis suit deprive official qualified immunity damages violation statutory constitutional provisions face appellee reasoning without force decline however adopt even harlow cases made clear objective component immunity test official held liable damages unless constitutional right alleged violated clearly established time violation butz economou emphasis added accord procunier navarette officials sued constitutional violations lose qualified immunity merely conduct violates statutory administrative provision acknowledge course officials conform conduct applicable statutes regulations reason appealing proposition violation provisions circumstance relevant official claim qualified immunity determining circumstances may consider deciding claims qualified immunity choose evils inevitable available alternative harlow fitzgerald appellee submission adopted disrupt balance cases strike interests vindication citizens constitutional rights public officials effective performance duties qualified immunity doctrine recognizes officials act without fear harassing litigation reasonably anticipate conduct may give rise liability damages unjustified lawsuits quickly terminated see butz economou supra harlow fitzgerald supra yet appellee submission officials liable indeterminate amount violation constitutional right one clearly defined perhaps even foreshadowed time alleged violation merely official conduct also violated statute regulation suits issue whether official enjoyed qualified immunity might depend upon meaning purpose state administrative regulation questions federal judges often may unable resolve summary judgment appellee proposes new rule qualified immunity limited requiring plaintiffs allege clear violation statute regulation advanced important interests designed protect constitutional rights yet door opened inquiries difficult limit scope principled manner federal judges granted large discretion extract various statutory administrative codes provisions seem sufficiently clear important warrant denial qualified immunity judgments fairly made extensive inquiry whether official circumstances decision appreciated applicability importance rule issue become difficult officials anticipate possible legal consequences conduct also trial courts decide even frivolous suits without protracted litigation always fair sound policy demand official compliance statute regulation pain money damages officials police officers prison wardens say nothing higher level executives enjoy qualified immunity routinely make close decisions exercise broad authority necessarily delegated officials subject plethora rules often voluminous ambiguous contradictory flux officials comply enforce selectively see schuck suing government circumstances officials err always side caution fficials broad range duties authority must often act swiftly firmly risk action deferred futile constitute virtual abdication office scheuer rhodes iii plaintiff seeks damages violation constitutional statutory rights may overcome defendant official qualified immunity showing rights clearly established time conduct issue appellee made showing judgment appeals reversed case remanded proceedings consistent opinion ordered footnotes appellant ralph davis executive director department highway safety motor vehicles time appellee discharge employment appellant chester blakemore succeeded davis position party official capacity appellant eldridge beach director florida highway patrol division department highway safety motor vehicles noted held position time appellee discharge complaint also alleged appellants violation fourteenth amendment coerced appellee accept inadequate settlement infringed upon appellee right privacy guaranteed first ninth amendments district rejected appellee constitutional claims district relied part reasoning williams treen cert denied held official conduct violation explicit clearly established state regulation per se unreasonable regulations specified pertinent part upon receiving report violation department division rules regulations director shall order complete investigation determine true facts concerning circumstances surrounding alleged offense completed investigation report also contain written statement made employee complaint made thorough study information concerning violation director decides dismissal order present employee writing reason reasons actions general order sep quoted florida civil service statute force replaced statute appellee employment terminated current state statute never applied appellee lacks standing question constitutionality cf golden zwickler appellee concession deprive appellate jurisdiction remaining issue case cases appeals declared state statute unconstitutional may decide federal questions presented cf flournoy wiener leroy great western retains discretion decline consider issues case related declaration state statute invalid present case however choose consider important question whether district appeals properly denied appellants immunity suit discuss contested whether constitutional rights clearly established time appellants conduct see reason doubt partial dissent appeals weisbrod full knowledge precedents correctly construed partial dissent explains length decisions required kind hearing board regents roth prior discharge employee constitutionally protected property interest employment determined kind hearing must provided determination require careful balancing competing interests employee state implicated official decision issue see mathews eldridge considered circumstances hearing provided prior termination perry sindermann requirements due process met board regents roth supra arnett kennedy bishop wood codd velger occasion specify minimally acceptable procedures termination employment partial dissent cites case establishing appellee entitled elaborate notice formal opportunity respond fact received state law may bear upon claim due process clause property interests protected fourteenth amendment created state law see board regents roth supra appellee property interest job florida law undisputed appellee contend procedural rules state law govern constitutional analysis process due fourteenth amendment harlow acknowledged officials may lose immunity violating clearly established statutory rights case plaintiff seeks recover damages violation statutory rights harlow see many suits see maine thiboutot holding creates cause action state officials violating federal statutes reasons discuss officials sued violations rights conferred statute regulation like officials sued violation constitutional rights forfeit immunity violating statute regulation rather officials become liable damages extent clear violation statutory rights give rise cause action damages statute regulation give rise cause action damages clear violation statute regulation forfeits immunity respect damages caused violation present case noted claim state regulation laws authorized promulgation create cause action damages provide basis action brought harlow suit federal state officials cases recognized qualified immunity rules apply suits state officers suits federal officers bivens six unknown federal narcotics agents see butz economou neither federal state officials lose immunity violating clear command statute regulation federal state law unless statute regulation provides basis cause action sued upon officials required know applicable regulations also understand intent regulation adopted understanding often eludes even trained lawyers full access relevant legislative administrative materials unfair impracticable require understanding public officials generally appellee urges well appellants violation personnel regulation constituted breach ministerial duty established regulation follow various procedures terminating appellee employment although decision discharge employee clearly discretionary appellee reasons highway patrol regulation deprived appellants discretion determining procedures followed prior discharge view harlow standard inapposite doctrine grants qualified immunity officials performance discretionary ministerial functions appellee contention mistakes scope ministerial duty exception qualified immunity two respects first discussed breach legal duty created personnel regulation forfeit official immunity breach gave rise appellee cause action damages principle equally applies whether regulation created discretionary ministerial duties even personnel regulation create ministerial duty appellee makes claim entitled damages simply regulation violated see supra event rules purportedly established appellants ministerial duties present case left appellants substantial measure discretion cf amy supervisors wall kendall stokes appellants determine example constituted complete investigation thorough study information sufficient justify decision terminate appellee employment see supra district finding appellants ignored clear legal command bear ministerial nature appellants duties law fails specify precise action official must take instance creates discretionary authority authority remains discretionary however egregiously abused cf kendall stokes supra justice brennan justice marshall justice blackmun justice stevens join concurring part dissenting part harlow fitzgerald decided government officials seeking establish qualified immunity must show acts omissions violating plaintiff rights objectively reasonable specifically conduct issue violate clearly established statutory constitutional rights reasonable person known today purport change standard yet holds despite discharging civil service employee without meaningful notice opportunity heard appellants entitled immunity suit damages reaches decision essentially ignoring facts case law relevant appellants conduct time events issue view appellants plainly violated appellee clearly established rights conclusion contrary seriously dilutes harlow careful effort preserve availability damages actions governmental officials critical avenue vindication constitutional guarantees accordingly dissent portion judgment reversing award damages order determine whether defendant violated plaintiff clearly established rights seem necessary make two inquiries well within familiar province particular act omission defendant violated plaintiff federal rights whether governing case statutory law given reasonable official cause know time relevant events acts omissions violated plaintiff rights however asks neither question brief treatment issue includes reference district findings fact respect conduct issue surprising since findings affirmed summarily appeals appellants claim clearly erroneous demonstrate appellee never informed might fired violating regulations dual employment appellee ever opportunity persuade relevant decisionmaker disciplined regulation appellee ultimately fired violating required patrol members receive prior approval outside employment order avoid conflicts interest regular duties supp nd upon request appellee obtained approval troop commander work security guard movie set three weeks later commander revoked approval followed exchange memos appellee immediate superiors commander indicating appellee wish relinquish job apparently without informing appellee commander recommended director highway patrol beach appellee suspended three days nearly week later intermediate superior ordered appellee terminate outside employment day appellee wrote commander stating believe outside work caused conflict interest although officials department suggested ways appellee work might create conflict one ever identified conflict plaintiff superior ordered appellee terminate job testified know conflict ibid meanwhile beach official authority terminate appellee received copies various letters exchanged without informing appellee soliciting views decided discharge district summarized certified letter dated october received plaintiff october scherer terminated fhp employment effective october time prior letter termination plaintiff given notice writing proposed discharge opportunity respond verbally writing official charged making termination decision defendant beach time prior october plaintiff notified right might respond beach letter dismissal failing warn appellee conduct result deprivation protected property interest highway patrol job denying opportunity challenge deprivation appellants violated fundamental requirements due process law meaningful notice reasonable opportunity heard contrary conclusion requirements clearly established long october date appellee learned fired long ago emphasized fundamental requisite due process law opportunity heard grannis ordean explained government failure afford reasonable notice kinds conduct result deprivations liberty property violates first essential due process law connally general construction several decisions concluded public employees interests maintaining jobs abridged without due process slochower board education wieman updegraff see board regents roth january nearly six years prior appellee termination reaffirmed efore person deprived protected interest must afforded opportunity kind hearing except extraordinary situations valid governmental interest stake justifies postponing hearing event boddie connecticut controversies raged due process clause fundamental except emergency situations one due process requires state seeks terminate protected interest must afford notice opportunity hearing appropriate nature case termination becomes effective bell burson rare extraordinary situations held deprivation protected interest need preceded opportunity kind hearing see central union trust garvan phillips commissioner ewing mytinger casselberry board regents roth supra procedural due process imposes constraints governmental decisions deprive individuals liberty property interests within meaning due process clause fifth fourteenth amendment consistently held form hearing required individual finally deprived property interest wolff mcdonnell see phillips commissioner see also dent west virginia right heard condemned suffer grievous loss kind even though may involve stigma hardships criminal conviction principle basic society joint comm mcgrath frankfurter concurring fundamental requirement due process opportunity heard meaningful time meaningful manner armstrong manzo see grannis ordean mathews eldridge ambiguity repeated pronouncements appellants several reasons know failure afford appellee meaningful pretermination notice hearing violated due process two years prior appellee discharge florida attorney general explained official opinion areer service employees attained permanent status career service system acquired property interest public positions emoluments thereof job security seniority may deprived without due process law op atty year events issue case involving jacksonville city civil service board appeals fifth circuit left doubt thought clearly established law required governmental employer chooses postpone opportunity nonprobationary employee secure hearing dismissal risk reducing procedures must accorded must include prior termination written notice reasons termination effective opportunity rebut reasons effective rebuttal must give employee right respond writing charges made respond orally official charged responsibility making termination decision thurston dekle vacated remanded grounds upon receiving report violation department division rules regulations director shall order complete investigation determine true facts concerning circumstances surrounding alleged offense completed investigation report also contain written statement made employee complaint made thorough study information concerning violation director decides dismissal order present employee writing reason reasons actions general order quoted basis rejection appellee claim assertion unreasonable case fourteenth amendment principles department conclude appellee provided fundamentals due process ante seeks support statement relying fact appellee told discontinue second job took advantage several opportunities present reasons believing permitted retain employment ibid appellee however opportunity present reasons retaining civil service job florida highway patrol employment protected property interest see indeed according district never told highway patrol job jeopardy never chance try persuade relevant decisionmaker second job create conflict interest concedes decisions required notice kind hearing prior discharge employee constitutionally protected property interest employment ante case appellee received meaningful notice kind hearing official fired sum believe appellants actions violate clearly established statutory constitutional rights reasonable person known harlow therefore affirm district award damages agree district erred declaring new florida civil service statute unconstitutional see ante therefore concur portion judgment vacating paragraph district amended order see supp nd believe appellants entitled qualified immunity standards set forth harlow fitzgerald need consider whether appellee contends violation department regulation defeat immunity violating federal rights officials reasonable knowledge seems plain however existence regulation relevant harlow analysis regardless whether appeals thinks appellee right pretermination notice hearing clearly established presence regulation obviously intended safeguard public employees constitutional rights certainly suggests appellants reason believe depriving appellee due process cf harlow supra brennan concurring objective basis knowledge provides least reliable measure reasonableness official action post hoc parsing cases see