wallace kato et argued november decided february january chicago police arrested petitioner minor murder tried convicted charges ultimately dropped april april filed suit city several officers seeking damages inter alia unlawful arrest violation fourth amendment district granted respondents summary judgment seventh circuit affirmed ruling suit time barred petitioner cause action accrued time arrest conviction later set aside held statute limitations upon claim seeking damages false arrest violation fourth amendment arrest followed criminal proceedings begins run time claimant becomes detained pursuant legal process pp statute limitations suit provided state torts owens okure two years illinois law false imprisonment subspecies false arrest cause action provid ing closest analogy claims type considered heck humphrey statute limitations begins run alleged false imprisonment ends see restatement second torts comment present context victim becomes held pursuant legal process see heck supra thus petitioner false imprisonment end contends released custody state dropped charges rather appeared examining magistrate bound trial since two years elapsed date filing suit even leaving count period reached majority action time barred pp petitioner contention heck compels conclusion suit accrue state dropped charges rejected heck held order recover damages allegedly unconstitutional conviction imprisonment harm caused actions whose unlawfulness render conviction sentence invalid plaintiff must prove conviction sentence set aside claim damages bearing relationship conviction sentence invalidated cognizable even assuming heck rule applied date petitioner first held pursuant legal process existence time criminal conviction cause action impugn petitioner seeks adoption principle going well beyond heck action impugn anticipated future conviction brought conviction occurs set aside impracticality speculative rule obvious fact actions sometimes accrue setting aside indeed even existence related criminal conviction raises question whether assuming heck bar takes effect later conviction obtained statute limitations valid cause action tolled long heck bar subsists however generally refers tolling rules hardin straub unaware illinois cases providing tolling even remotely comparable circumstances moreover federal tolling rule effect create jurisprudential limbo known whether tolling appropriate reason heck bar established newly entered conviction impugned thus utterly indeterminate claim pp affirmed scalia delivered opinion roberts kennedy thomas alito joined stevens filed opinion concurring judgment souter joined breyer filed dissenting opinion ginsburg joined andre wallace petitioner kristen kato et al writ certiorari appeals seventh circuit february justice scalia delivered opinion petitioner filed suit rev stat seeking damages arrest violated fourth amendment decide whether suit timely january john handy shot death city chicago sometime around two days later chicago police officers located petitioner years age transported police station questioning interrogations lasted early morning hours next day petitioner agreed confess handy murder assistant state attorney prepared statement effect petitioner signed time waiving miranda rights prior trial circuit cook county petitioner unsuccessfully attempted suppress station house statements product unlawful arrest convicted murder sentenced years prison direct appeal appellate illinois held officers arrested petitioner without probable cause violation fourth amendment people wallace app according whose determination reviewing even assuming petitioner willingly accompanied police station presence escalated involuntary seizure prior formal arrest another round appeals appellate concluded august effect petitioner illegal arrest sufficiently attenuated render statements admissible see brown illinois remanded new trial judgt order reported sub nom people wallace app april prosecutors dropped charges petitioner april petitioner filed suit city chicago several chicago police officers seeking damages arising inter alia unlawful district granted summary judgment respondents appeals affirmed according seventh circuit petitioner suit time barred cause action accrued time arrest conviction later set aside wallace chicago granted certiorari ii section provides federal cause action several respects relevant federal law looks law state cause action arose length statute limitations state provides torts owens okure wilson garcia parties agree illinois law period two years comp ch west thus statute petitioner cause action began run time unlawful arrest even time ordered held magistrate suit plainly dilatory even according tolling years minority see dissenting judge argued commencement date running statute governed decision heck humphrey date may date petitioner conviction vacated case suit timely filed never stated expressly accrual date cause action question federal law resolved reference state law parties agree seventh circuit case held see aware federal appeals holding contrary aspects governed reference state law governed federal rules conforming general tort principles see heck supra carey piphus principles standard rule accrual occurs plaintiff complete present cause action bay area laundry dry cleaning pension trust fund ferbar quoting rawlings ray plaintiff file suit obtain relief bay area laundry supra dispute petitioner filed suit soon allegedly wrongful arrest occurred subjecting harm involuntary detention statute limitations normally commence run date however refinement considered arising common law distinctive treatment torts false arrest false imprisonment cause action provid closest analogy claims type considered heck supra see dobbs law torts false arrest false imprisonment overlap former species latter every confinement person imprisonment whether common prison private house stocks even forcibly detaining one public streets man lawfully house imprisonment prevent leaving room newell law malicious prosecution false imprisonment abuse legal process footnotes omitted see also speiser krause gans american law torts pp shall thus refer two torts together false imprisonment tort provides proper analogy cause action asserted present respondents following reason sort unlawful detention remediable tort false imprisonment detention without legal process see keeton dobbs keeton owen prosser keeton law torts pp ed speiser supra allegations us arise respondents detention petitioner without legal process january warrant arrest running statute limitations false imprisonment subject distinctive rule dictated perhaps reality victim may able sue still imprisoned limitations begin run action false imprisonment alleged false imprisonment ends wood limitation actions rev ed see also restatement second torts comment underhill principles law torts thus determine beginning limitations period case must determine petitioner false imprisonment came end reflective fact false imprisonment consists detention without legal process false imprisonment ends victim becomes held pursuant process example bound magistrate arraigned charges dobbs supra keeton supra stephen actions malicious prosecution thereafter unlawful detention forms part damages entirely distinct tort malicious prosecution remedies detention accompanied absence legal process wrongful institution legal keeton supra see harper james gray law torts ed speiser supra false arrest claim damages claim cover time detention issuance process arraignment point damages recoverable must based malicious prosecution claim wrongful use judicial process rather detention keeton supra see also heck supra speiser supra thus petitioner contention false imprisonment ended upon release custody state dropped charges must rejected ended much earlier legal process initiated statute begun run date tolling reason petitioner petitioner asserts date release custody must relevant date circumstances present suit since seeking damages time theory complaint initial fourth amendment violation set wheels motion subsequent conviction detention unlawful arrest led coerced confession introduced trial producing conviction incarceration explained common law damages detention issuance process arraignment attributable tort unlawful arrest alleged petitioner complaint probably tort chargeable defendants respondents even assuming however damages detention pursuant legal process regarded consequential damages attributable unlawful arrest alter commencement date statute limitations traditional rule accrual tort cause action accrues statute limitations commences run wrongful act omission results damages cause action accrues even though full extent injury known predictable corman limitation actions pp footnotes omitted see also limitations actions otherwise statute begin run plaintiff became satisfied harmed enough placing supposed statute repose sole hands party seeking relief conclude statute limitations petitioner claim commenced run appeared examining magistrate bound trial since two years elapsed date filing suit even leaving count period reached majority action time barred iii end matter petitioner contention heck humphrey compels conclusion suit accrue state dropped charges heck state prisoner filed suit raising claims true established invalidity outstanding conviction analogized suit one malicious prosecution element favorable termination criminal proceedings said order recover damages allegedly unconstitutional conviction imprisonment harm caused actions whose unlawfulness render conviction sentence invalid plaintiff must prove conviction sentence reversed direct appeal expunged executive order declared invalid state tribunal authorized make determination called question federal issuance writ habeas corpus claim damages bearing relationship conviction sentence invalidated cognizable omitted rested conclusion upon hoary principle civil tort actions appropriate vehicles challenging validity outstanding criminal judgments said determined habeas corpus appropriate remedy state prisoners attacking validity fact length confinement specific determination must override general terms quoting preiser rodriguez excerpts show heck rule deferred accrual called play exists conviction sentence invalidated say outstanding criminal judgment delays otherwise accrual date tort action setting aside extant conviction success tort action impugn assume purposes present tort action heck principle applied date accrual date statute limitations began run date petitioner became held pursuant legal process see supra even later time existence criminal conviction cause action impugn indeed may even indictment petitioner seeks words adoption principle goes well beyond heck action impugn anticipated future conviction brought conviction occurs set aside impracticality rule obvious action false arrest require plaintiff brings suit promptly speculate whether prosecution brought whether result conviction whether pending civil action impugn verdict see heck time hardly known evidence prosecution possession plaintiff guesses wrong anticipated future conviction never occurs acquittal dismissal event instead setting aside extant conviction trigger accrual cause action prosecution never occurs trigger disposed embrace bizarre extension heck plaintiff files false arrest claim convicted files claim related rulings likely made pending anticipated criminal trial within power district accord common practice stay civil action criminal case likelihood criminal case ended see noting abstention may appropriate response parallel proceedings quackenbush allstate ins plaintiff ultimately convicted stayed civil suit impugn conviction heck require dismissal otherwise civil action proceed absent bar suit edwards balisok heck however one complication must address arises fact actions unlike tort malicious prosecution heck took model see sometimes accrue setting aside indeed even existence related criminal conviction course case raises question whether assuming heck bar takes effect later conviction obtained statute limitations valid cause action tolled long heck bar subsists context present case petitioner conviction april caused statute limitations possibly impugning cause action tolled conviction set aside filing timely generally referred state law tolling rules length statutes limitation hardin straub board regents univ state tomanio petitioner brought attention aware illinois cases providing tolling even remotely comparable circumstances indeed petitioner even argue tolling though supported suggestion oral argument inclined adopt federal tolling rule effect regime known whether tolling appropriate reason heck bar established newly entered conviction impugned thus utterly indeterminate hardly desirable place question tolling vel non jurisprudential limbo leaving determined later events pronouncing retroactively defendants need notice preserve beyond normal limitations period evidence needed defense statute becomes retroactively extended action plaintiff crafting cause action hardly statute justice breyer argues dissent equitable tolling apply long issues claim raise pursued state post know support dissent suggest proposition equitable tolling appropriate avoid risk concurrent litigation best tell rationale rule concern petitioner divide attention criminal civil cases post law criminal defendant potential criminal defendant absolved responsibilities law otherwise place upon defendant claim prime contractor new home entitled tolling well criminal case pending equitable tolling rare remedy applied unusual circumstances entirely common state affairs besides quality dissent proposal suffers ironic flaw although dissent criticizes us develop system stays dismissals obvious omnibus tolling solution require despite existence new tolling rule plaintiffs nevertheless file suit state criminal proceedings dissent propose handle suits finally dissent contention law enforcement officers prefer possibility later suit likely reality immediate filing post implausible contradicted know best fewer informed us litigation municipalities strong interest timely notice alleged misconduct agents brief state illinois et al amici curiae hold statute limitations upon claim seeking damages false arrest violation fourth amendment arrest followed criminal proceedings begins run time claimant becomes detained pursuant legal process since present case occurred appropriate tolling plaintiff minority two years complaint filed suit time judgment appeals affirmed ordered andre wallace petitioner kristen kato et al writ certiorari appeals seventh circuit february justice stevens justice souter joins concurring judgment disagree conclusion reach direct route alleged fourth amendment violation issue case two distinct consequences petitioner first provided federal cause action damages second provided objection admissibility certain evidence state criminal trial crux petitioner argument heck humphrey provides appropriate rule accrual claim majority note heck held order recover damages allegedly unconstitutional conviction imprisonment harm caused actions whose unlawfulness render conviction sentence invalid plaintiff must prove conviction sentence reversed direct appeal expunged executive order declared invalid state tribunal authorized make determination called question federal issuance writ habeas corpus thus state prisoner seeks damages suit district must consider whether judgment favor plaintiff necessarily imply invalidity conviction sentence complaint must dismissed unless plaintiff demonstrate conviction sentence already invalidated omitted relying principle petitioner contends federal cause action accrue criminal charges dropped unlike majority analysis depend tort instead begin nine justices began heck case unanimously agreed required reconcile federal habeas corpus concluding heck damages claim cognizable found writ habeas corpus affords remedy state prisoners attacking validity fact length confinement quoting preiser rodriguez given holding stone powell however writ provide remedy petitioner habeas remedy never available first place heck postpone accrual petitioner fourth amendment may well appropriate stay trial claims kind completion state proceedings see quackenbush allstate ins cf younger harris aware legal basis holding cause action accrued fourth amendment violation completed regrettably lets perfect become enemy good eschews reasoning ederal habeas petitioners sometimes succeeded arguing stone general prohibition apply ante emphasis added however vast run cases state provide habeas petitioner opportunity full fair litigation fourth amendment claim stone heck apply always possible find aberrant examples law craft rules needle rather haystack area like andre wallace petitioner kristen kato et al writ certiorari appeals seventh circuit february justice breyer justice ginsburg joins dissenting agree accrual date claim postponed presence possible bar suit heck humphrey also agree rest justice stevens petitioner timely filed case federal district might found appropriate stay trial claims completion state proceedings quackenbush allstate ins absence stay litigant like petitioner divide attention criminal civil cases attendant risks loss time energy well inconsistent findings holding however simply leads question happen example possibility heck problem prevents considering merits claim disagree insistence upon rule law require immediate filing followed uncertain system stays dismissals possible refiling ante majority opinion ante stevens concurring judgment disagree legal tool better able deal problems presented type suit plaintiff disability irremediable lack information circumstances beyond control reasonably expected sue time courts applied doctrine equitable tolling miller runyon posner doctrine tolls running limitations period disabling circumstance overcome limitations period run falsely arrested person false imprisonment ends action certainly accrued majority recognizes file claim immediately able ante see also cada baxter healthcare particular equitable tolling apply plaintiff reasonably claims unlawful behavior complains necessary criminal conviction toll running limitations period time charges brought time dismissed defendant acquitted convicted thereafter period criminal defendant challenges conviction direct appeal state collateral challenge federal habeas reasonably asserts behavior underlying action ground overturning conviction find difficult understand rejects use equitable tolling regard typical plaintiffs ante alternative file claims including potentially claims seek stays subject dismissal refiling suffers serious practical disadvantages one thing approach force potential criminal defendants file potential actions soon lest lose claims due protracted criminal proceedings another often require federal seeking determine whether dismiss action heck barred grant stay consider issues likely litigated criminal proceeding constitution violated evidence necessary conviction federal decision whether claim heck barred say whether alleged constitutional violation central state criminal conviction might later bind state conviction review even claim without likely heck bar might linger federal docket federal plaintiff forced early file wishes avoid interfering state proceedings therefore must postpone reaching merits claim threshold heck inquiry well principles equitable tolling avoid difficulties since equitable tolling obviates need immediate filing permits criminal proceedings winnow constitutional wheat chaff thereby increase likelihood constitutionally meritless claims never action see light day see allen mccurry federal gives preclusive effect constitutional determinations issues already litigated state moreover appropriate equitable tolling principle apply state criminal proceedings also state appellate proceedings state collateral attacks federal habeas proceedings course ordinarily borrows limitations principles state law know whether comparable equitable tolling principles place given state lacks necessary tolling provision however view permits federal courts devise impose principles see hardin straub aps federal civil rights acts filled state law long law inconsistent federal law chief goals compensation deterrence subsidiary goals uniformity federalism omitted heck humphrey posner articulating federal tolling regime may apply claims aff grounds cf board regents univ state tomanio use equitable tolling cases potential temporal conflict civil related criminal proceedings consistent indeed basic purposes provide orderly adjudication minimize risk inconsistent legal determinations avoid clogging courts potentially unnecessary protective filings assure plaintiff possesses meritorious claim pursuit criminal remedies designed free unlawful confinement compromise later ability obtain civil redress well wrong concluding principle described place tolling question jurisprudential limbo ante approach propose supra potential plaintiff knows claim tolled long issues claim raise pursued state rule prophylactic sometimes toll claims barred heck approach neither plaintiff defendant federal need speculate whether claims way barred state opportunity consider claims criminal context tolling principle certainly seems create greater order rule majority sets whereby criminal defendants must file suits immediately stayed dismissed may refiled entitled tolling ante majority acknowledges tolling may necessary protect plaintiff previously filed dismissed ibid simply apply tolling principle across board majority also wrong suggests proposed equitable tolling rule create significant problem lack notice ante rule toll potential plaintiff challenging alleged misconduct state state notice plaintiff claims similar reasons potential individual defendants state officers also likely notice charge even believe many prefer forgo immediate notice comes pricetag attached price consists immediately sued filing lawsuit rife stays delays otherwise course time claims winnowed state might never filed suggested limitations system like equitable tolling rule produce instances plaintiff file lawsuit initially uncertain future date ante approaches many suits involve heck bar defendant file immediately suit proceed tolling unless potential plaintiff asserting conviction challenge constitutional violation impugn conviction problem approach lies insistence potential plaintiffs including whose suits may heck barred file immediately even though suits proceed tolling rarely plaintiff choose file potentially suit criminal case pending cases district wished stay action simply dismiss suit without prejudice secure knowledge suit timely filed later date refusal admit equitable tolling possibility means large numbers defendants sued immediately potential plaintiffs arguable heck issues matter meritless claims suits may endlessly stayed dismissed point future defendants also sued equitable tolling however defendants sued suits constitutional claims state already found meritless time suit promptly litigated given practical difficulties approach rule advance use equitable tolling rule along lines described matter fully argued vacate seventh circuit determination remand consideration issues raise reasons respectfully dissent footnotes petitioner state federal claims resolved adversely us expressly limited grant certiorari fourth amendment claim see city chicago longer party suit never explored contours fourth amendment suit see albright oliver plurality opinion see generally schwartz section litigation pp ed noting range approaches lower courts assuming without deciding claim cognizable petitioner made one petitioner include claim complaint fact abandoned claim district stated opposition respondents first motion summary judgment plaintiff seek raise malicious prosecution claim record doc told us respondents mistaken characterizing petitioner cause action involving prosecution reply brief say course petitioner filed suit immediately upon false arrest statute limitations begin run petitioner became detained pursuant legal process injured suffered damages moment arrest entitled bring suit time see adler beverly hills hospital tex civ app may concede person falsely imprisoned right sue first day detention petitioner filed suit upon arrest suit dismissed heck statute limitations absent tolling run time obtained reversal conviction circumstances allowed refile suit heck produce immunity liability result surely intended present case petitioner file suit within limitations period need decide done much time refile suit heck bar removed justice stevens reaches result arguing stone powell heck bar never come play suit seeking damages fourth amendment violation habeas remedy never available petitioner first place post opinion concurring judgment reads stone say stone fourth amendment violations generally cognizable federal habeas cognizable state failed provide habeas petitioner opportunity full fair litigation fourth amendment claim federal habeas petitioners sometimes succeeded arguing stone general prohibition apply see herrera lemaster aff point en banc ex rel bostick peters agee white doescher estelle boyd mintz see also hertz liebman federal habeas corpus practice procedure pp ed time fourth amendment wrong time conviction known whether prospective plaintiff receive full fair opportunity litigate fourth amendment claim thus remains case conflict federal habeas statute possible fourth amendment claim necessarily imply invalidity conviction must heck dismissed insofar justice stevens simply suggests heck bearing petitioner received full fair opportunity litigate fourth amendment claim state argument equally untenable time petitioner became detained pursuant legal process impossible predict whether true even point limitations period ended state proceedings conviction ongoing full fair opportunity point enough stone requires full fair opportunity litigate fourth amendment claim trial direct review emphasis added footnotes see heck souter concurring judgment tort rules provide point inquiry carey piphus time consistently refused allow analogies displace statutory analysis declining import even rules statute history purpose counsel applying rules actions wyatt cole brackets original see case lies intersection two fertile sources prisoner litigation civil rights act rev stat amended federal habeas corpus statute souter concurring judgment begins analysis observing case lies intersection two fertile sources prisoner litigation civil rights act federal habeas corpus statute thomas concurring justice souter correctly begin analyses realization case lies intersection civil rights act rev stat amended federal habeas corpus statute see spencer kemna souter joined ginsburg breyer concurring concluding plaintiff may bring claim bring claim habeas statute ibid ginsburg concurring come agree justice souter reasoning individuals without recourse habeas statute custody fit within stevens dissenting given holding petitioner remedy habeas statute perfectly clear justice souter explains may bring action