minneci et al pollard et argued november decided january respondent pollard sought damages employees privately run federal prison california claiming deprived adequate medical care violation eighth amendment prohibition cruel unusual punishment federal district dismissed complaint ruling eighth amendment imply action bivens six unknown fed narcotics agents privately managed prison personnel ninth circuit reversed held circumstance case state tort law authorizes adequate alternative damages actions providing significant deterrence compensation bivens remedy implied pp wilkie robbins fairly summarizes basic considerations applies deciding whether recognize bivens remedy must first ask whether alternative existing process protecting constitutionally recognized interest amounts convincing reason judicial branch refrain providing new freestanding damages remedy even absent alternative bivens remedy subject judgment federal courts must make kind remedial determination appropriate tribunal paying particular heed special factors counselling hesitation authorizing new kind federal litigation bivens held fourth amendment implicitly authorized order federal agents pay damages person injured agents violation amendment strictures noting fourth amendment prohibited conduct state law might permit interests protected one hand state trespass invasion privacy laws hand fourth amendment may inconsistent even hostile also stated istorically damages regarded ordinary remedy invasion personal interests liberty found special factors counselling hesitation absence affirmative action congress bivens actions allowed davis passman fifth amendment due process claim involving employment discrimination carlson green eighth amendment claim based federal government officials deliberat indifferen ce federal prisoner medical needs since carlson declined imply bivens action several different instances see bush lucas correctional services malesko applying wilkie approach pollard assert bivens claim primarily eighth amendment claim focuses kind conduct typically falls within scope traditional state tort law case privately employed defendant state tort law provides alternative existing process capable protecting constitutional interests stake wilkie existence alternative remedy constitutes convincing reason judicial branch refrain providing new freestanding damages remedy ibid pp pollard contrary arguments rejected first claims carlson authorizes eighth bivens action carlson involved government privately employed personnel potential existence adequate alternative existing process differs dramatically public private employees prisoners ordinarily bring state tort actions private employees public ones second pollard argument consider whether federal laws provide adequate alternative remedies vagaries state tort law carlson supra rejected malesko supra third pollard claims state tort law provide remedies adequate protect constitutional interests issue california like every state far aware tort law provides negligence actions claims state law may prove less generous bivens action render state law inadequate state remedies potential bivens remedy need perfectly congruent fourth pollard argues may similar eighth amendment claims state tort law cover offers supporting cases possibility future case eighth amendment claim state law differs significantly issue provides insufficient grounds reaching different conclusion pp reversed breyer delivered opinion roberts scalia kennedy thomas alito sotomayor kagan joined scalia filed concurring opinion thomas joined ginsburg filed dissenting opinion opinion notice opinion subject formal revision publication preliminary print reports readers requested notify reporter decisions washington typographical formal errors order corrections may made preliminary print goes press margaret minneci et petitioners richard lee pollard et al writ certiorari appeals ninth circuit january justice breyer delivered opinion question whether imply existence eighth damages action bivens action employees privately operated federal prison see generally bivens six unknown fed narcotics agents iolation fourth amendment federal agent gives rise cause action damages federal government employee believe circumstances present state tort law authorizes adequate alternative damages actions actions provide significant deterrence compensation see wilkie robbins bivens action alternative existing processes provide adequate protection richard lee pollard prisoner federal facility operated private company wackenhut corrections corporation filed pro se complaint federal several wackenhut employees include security officer supervisor several members medical staff federal magistrate judge interpreted pollard complaint claimed employees deprived adequate medical care thereby violated eighth amendment prohibition cruel unusual punishment caused injury sought damages pollard said year earlier slipped cart left doorway prison butcher shop prison medical staff took rays thought might fractured elbows brought outside clinic orthopedic evaluation subsequently arranged surgery particular pollard claimed despite told prison guard extend arm guard forced put jumpsuit travel outside clinic causing excruciating pain app several visits outside clinic prison guards made pollard wear arm restraints connected way caused continued pain prison medical personnel failed follow outside clinic instructions put pollard left elbow posterior splint failed provide necessary physical therapy failed conduct necessary studies including nerve conduction studies times pollard arms casts similarly disabled prison officials failed make alternative arrangements receive meals result avoid humiliated general food service area pollard auction personal items obtain funds buy food commissary prison officials deprived basic hygienic care point bathe two weeks prison medical staff provided insufficient medicine point pain sleep prison officials forced return work injuries healed concluding eighth amendment provide bivens action privately managed prison personnel magistrate judge recommended district dismiss pollard complaint district appeal ninth circuit found eighth amendment provided pollard bivens action reversed district pollard geo group amended defendants sought certiorari light split among courts appeals granted petition compare ibid finding eighth amendment bivens action prisoner sues employees privately operated federal prison alba montford bivens action available holly scott ii recently wilkie robbins supra rejected claim fifth amendment impliedly authorized bivens action permit landowners obtain damages government officials unconstitutionally interfere exercise property rights reviewing earlier bivens cases stated decision whether recognize bivens remedy may require two steps first place question whether alternative existing process protecting constitutionally recognized interest amounts convincing reason judicial branch refrain providing new freestanding remedy damages even absence alternative bivens remedy subject judgment federal courts must make kind remedial determination appropriate tribunal paying particular heed however special factors counselling hesitation authorizing new kind federal litigation quoting bush lucas standards seek reflect reconcile reasoning set forth earlier cases bivens held fourth amendment implicitly authorized order federal agents pay damages person injured agents violation amendment constitutional strictures noted federally protected rights invaded courts remedies grant necessary relief quoting bell hood see also correctional services malesko authority imply new constitutional tort anchored within general jurisdiction pointed fourth amendment prohibited among things conduct state law might permit conduct issue case bivens added interests protected one hand state trespass invasion privacy laws hand fourth amendment guarantees may inconsistent even hostile stated istorically damages regarded ordinary remedy invasion personal interests liberty found special factors counselling hesitation absence affirmative action congress davis passman considered former congressional employee claim damages suffered result employer unconstitutional discrimination based gender found damages action implicit fifth amendment due process clause emphasized unavailability alternative forms judicial relief noted evidence congress constitution intended foreclose remedy carlson green considered claim damages brought estate federal prisoner estate said died result government officials deliberat indifferen ce medical needs indifference violated eighth amendment citing estelle gamble implied action damages eighth amendment noted state law offered particular plaintiff meaningful damages remedy although estate might brought damages claim federal tort claims act defendant lawsuit employer namely individual officers committed violation damages remedy individual officer added prove effective deterrent ibid rather leave compensation vagaries state tort law federal bivens action provide uniform rules since carlson decide several different instances whether imply bivens action instance decided existence action instances include federal employee claim federal employer dismissed violation first amendment bush supra congressionally created federal civil service procedures provide meaningful redress claim military personnel military superiors violated various constitutional provisions chappell wallace special factors related military counsel implying bivens action see also stanley similar claim recipients social security disability benefits benefits denied violation fifth amendment schweiker chilicky elaborate administrative scheme provides meaningful alternative remedy former bank employee suit federal banking agency claiming lost job due agency action violated fifth amendment due process clause fdic meyer bivens actions government agencies rather particular individuals act unconstitutionally prisoner eighth suit private corporation managed federal prison permit suit risk skewing relevant incentives time ability prisoner bring state tort law damages action private individual defendants means prisoner lack effective remedies although reaching decisions always similarly emphasized aspects cases wilkie fairly summarizes basic considerations underlie decisions consequently apply approach conclude pollard assert bivens claim primarily pollard eighth amendment claim focuses upon kind conduct typically falls within scope traditional state tort law case privately employed defendant state tort law provides alternative existing process capable protecting constitutional interests stake existence alternative constitutes convincing reason judicial branch refrain providing new freestanding remedy damages ibid reasoning best understood set forth explain reject pollard arguments contrary iii pollard together supporting amici asks us imply bivens action four basic reasons none find convincing first pollard argues already decided carlson federal prisoner may bring eighth bivens action prison personnel need simply apply carlson holding carlson however case federal prisoner sought damages personnel employed government personnel employed private firm present purposes fact employment status makes critical difference one thing potential existence adequate alternative existing process differs dramatically two sets cases prisoners ordinarily bring tort actions employees federal government see westfall act substituting defendant tort action federal employee osborn haley westfall act immunizes federal employee removal substitution defendant prisoners ordinarily bring tort actions employees private firm infra another thing specifically rejected justice stevens somewhat similar suggestion dissenting opinion malesko namely prisoner suit private firm fall within carlson earlier holding firm like federal employee federal agent compare malesko majority opinion dissenting opinion rejecting dissent suggestion explained context malesko fundamentally different contexts issue earlier cases including carlson difference said reflected part nature defendant corporate employer rather individual employee part reflected existence alternative effective state tort remedies factor makes difficult square pollard argument malesko reasoning second pollard argues vagaries state tort law carlson consider whether federal law provides adequate alternative remedies see considering adequacy federal remedies see also schweiker supra similar bush similar cf carlson supra elevant indiana statute permit survival state tort argument flounders however fact rejected malesko compare majority opinion stevens dissenting making similar suggestion state tort law help deter constitutional violations well provide compensation violation victim consequently unsurprising several cases considered adequacy inadequacy remedies determining whether imply bivens remedy see bivens state tort law inconsistent even hostile fourth amendment davis noting remedy available cf malesko supra noting implied bivens action alternative remedy individual officers nonexistent plaintiff lacked alternative remedy third pollard argues state tort law provide remedies adequate protect constitutional interests issue pollard claim however claim physical related emotional harm suffered result aggravated instances kind conduct state tort law typically forbids claim arose california state tort law provides ordinary negligence actions actions based upon want ordinary care skill actions negligent failure diagnose treat actions based upon failure one custodial duty care another protect risk physical harm see cal civ code ann west supp giraldo california dept corrections rehabilitation cal app cal rptr quoting haworth state haw california courts specifically applied law jailers including private operators prisons giraldo supra cal rptr ailers owe prisoners duty care protect foreseeable harm see also lawson superior cal app cal rptr moreover california tort law basically reflects general principles tort law present far tell law every state see restatement second torts found specific authority indicating state law imposes general tort duties reasonable care including medical care prison employees every one eight privately managed secure federal facilities currently located see dept justice federal bureau prisions weekly population report dec http listing visited available clerk case file thomas williams app georgia owes prisoner placed custody duty keep prisoner safely free harm render medical aid necessary treat humanely refrain oppressing giraldo supra cal rptr california farmer state ex rel russell miss mississippi doe albuquerque app new mexico multiple claimants north carolina dept health human app north carolina clemets heston ohio app ohio williams syed commw pennsylvania salazar collins tex app texas see also schellenger later case service supp cf miss code ann supp statute forbidding actions state though private employees correc law ann west cum supp similar note pollard points state tort law may sometimes prove less generous bivens action say capping damages see cal civ code ann west forbidding recovery emotional suffering unconnected physical harm see imposing procedural obstacles say initially requiring use expert administrative panels medical malpractice cases see rev stat tit supp mass laws ch west find fact sufficient basis determine state law inadequate remedies potential bivens remedy need perfectly congruent see bush supra administrative remedies adequate even though provide complete relief indeed federal law well state law contains limitations prisoners bringing federal lawsuits example ordinarily may seek damages mental emotional injury unconnected physical injury see bivens actions even generous plaintiffs respects may less generous others example show eighth amendment violation prisoner must typically show defendant acted negligently deliberate indifference farmer brennan bivens plaintiff unlike state tort law plaintiff normally apply principles respondeat superior thereby obtain recovery defendant potentially employer see croft iqbal rather principle question whether general state tort law remedies provide roughly similar incentives potential defendants comply eighth amendment also providing roughly similar compensation victims violations features two kinds actions mentioned suggest practice answer question yes found nothing convince us contrary fourth pollard argues may similar kinds eighth amendment claims state tort law cover pollard convincingly show cases compare brief respondent pollard questioning availability state tort remedies prisoners suffer attacks inmates preventable suicides denial heat ventilation movement giraldo supra cal rptr courts long held prison officials must protect transgender inmate foreseeable harm inmates restatement second torts regardless concede prove negative totally certain features state tort law relevant universally prove remain described nonetheless certain enough shape present law applied kind case us leave different cases different state laws another day say decide whether imply bivens action case eighth amendment claim state law differs significantly issue case arises possibility different future case provide sufficient grounds reaching different conclusion reasons federal prisoner seeks damages privately employed personnel working privately operated federal prison conduct allegedly amounts violation eighth amendment conduct kind typically falls within scope traditional state tort law conduct involving improper medical care issue prisoner must seek remedy state tort law imply bivens remedy case judgment ninth circuit reversed ordered scalia concurring margaret minneci et petitioners richard lee pollard et al writ certiorari appeals ninth circuit january justice scalia justice thomas joins concurring join opinion agree narrow interpretation rationale bivens six unknown fed narcotics agents cause holding case apply circumstances case even narrowest rationale bivens apply however decline extend holding bivens relic heady days assumed powers create causes action constitutional implication correctional services malesko scalia concurring see also wilkie robbins thomas concurring abandoned power statutory field see alexander sandoval constitutional field presumably imagined implication even repudiated congress previously stated see malesko supra limit bivens two cases davis passman carlson green precise circumstances involved ginsburg dissenting margaret minneci et petitioners richard lee pollard et al writ certiorari appeals ninth circuit january justice ginsburg dissenting pollard incarcerated facility federal remedy eighth amendment violations alleges see carlson green bivens action estelle gamble action reasons stated dissenting opinion joined correctional services malesko opinion stevens deny character relief pollard prisoner placed federal contract privately operated prison pollard may suffered aggravated instances conduct state tort law forbids ante opinion aggravated conduct engaged official also offends federal constitution see estelle rather remitting pollard vagaries state tort law carlson hold injuries sustained serving sentence compensable according uniform rules federal law bivens six unknown fed narcotics agents harlan concurring judgment indeed stronger cause providing federal remedy case malesko question presented whether bivens action lies private corporation manages facility housing federal prisoners malesko suing corporate employer majority observed malesko serve deter individual officers conduct transgressing constitutional limitations authority individual deterrence reminded consideration central bivens decision malesko noting availability state tort remedies majority malesko declined exten bivens beyond decision core premise deterring individual officers malesko pollard case contrast involves bivens core concern suit seeking damages directly individual officers precisely deterrent effect found absent malesko reasons stated hold relief potentially available state tort law block pollard recourse federal remedy affront constitution suffered accordingly affirm ninth circuit judgment footnotes ninth circuit ruled petitioners acted color federal law pollard geo group petitioners seek review determination see brief petitioners