johnson et al fankell argued february decided june held defendants state action federal right interlocutory appeal denial qualified immunity pp state officials performing discretionary functions qualified immunity defense appropriate circumstances shields liability damages burdens trial harlow fitzgerald federal district order rejecting defense ground defendant actions proven violated clearly established law may appealed immediately final decision general federal appellate jurisdiction statute mitchell forsyth relying respondent federal statutory claim federal defense petitioners submit idaho courts must protect right avoid burdens trial allowing interlocutory appeal available federal pp rejects petitioners argument idaho courts construe rule must accept federal definition final decision cases brought even idaho rule contained identical language theydo idaho interpretation rule binding federal courts authority place different construction upon see new york ferber idaho voluntarily place construction rule mitchell placed command choice pp also unpersuasive petitioners contention rule pre empted extent allow interlocutory appeal petitioner arguments strong enough overcome two considerable hurdles first normal presumption pre emption buttressed fact idaho dismissal appeal rested squarely neutral state rule administering state courts howlett rose second qualified immunity defense ultimate purpose protect state officials overenforcement federal rights rule application context less interference federal interests petitioners claim judgment best balance competing state interests arguing pre emption necessary avoid different outcomes litigation based solely whether claim asserted state federal petitioners misplace reliance felder casey utcom used referred ultimate disposition case whereas postponement appeal final judgment affect ultimate outcome case petitioners qualified immunity claim meritorious argument rule adequately protect right prevail immunity question advance trial also fails given precise source scope federal right issue contrast right trial rule immunity defense merits presumably source fully protected idaho right immediate appellate review ruling federal case source see johnson jones federal procedural right simply apply nonfederal forum pp affirmed stevens delivered opinion unanimous notice opinion subject formal revision publication preliminary print reports readers requested notify reporter decisions wash ington typographical formal errors order corrections may made preliminary print goes press marian johnson et petitioners kristine fankell writ certiorari idaho june justice stevens delivered opinion question presented whether defendants action brought rev stat state federal right interlocutory appeal denial qualified immunity hold petitioners officials idaho liquor dispensary respondent former liquor store clerk brought action damages district county bonner idaho alleged petitioners deprived property without due process law violation fourteenth amendment federal constitution terminated employment petitioners moved dismiss complaint ground entitled qualified immunity contended time respondent dismissal reasonably believed probationary employee property interest job accordingly petitioners argued termination violate clearly established law trial denied motion petitioners filed timely notice appeal state idaho state entered order dismissing appeal explained order denying motion summary judgment appealable idaho appellate rule reason final order judgment app also rejected petitioners arguments order appealable behrens pelletier petitioners sought rehearing arguing order final within meaning idaho appellate rule alternative right appeal matter federal law denied rehearing dismissed appeal petitioners filed petition seeking either writ certiorari writ mandamus pointed state courts unlike idaho allow interlocutory appeals orders denying qualified immunity theory review necessary protect substantial federal right see mclin trimble lakewood brace granted certiorari resolve conflict affirm recognized qualified immunity defense federal officials sued implied cause action asserted bivens six unknown fed narcotics agents state officials sued situations officials performing discretionary functions generally shielded liability civil damages insofar conductdoes violate clearly established statutory constitutional rights reasonable person known harlow fitzgerald qualified immunity defense valuable officials asserting two reasons first found applicable stage proceedings determines outcome litigation shielding official damages liability second complaint fails allege violation clearly established law discovery fails uncover evidence sufficient create genuine issue whether defendant committed violation provides defendant immunity burdens trial well defense liability indeed one reason adopting objective test announced harlow permit resolution many insubstantial claims summary judgment ibid consistent purpose held mitchell forsyth federal district order rejecting qualified immunity defense ground defendant actions proven violated clearly established law may appealed immediately final decision within meaning general federal appellate jurisdiction statute action brought federal therefore petitioners right take appeal trial order denying motion summary judgment relying facts respondent asserted federal claim federal statute asserting defense provided federal law petitioners submit idaho courts must protect right avoid burdens trial allowing interlocutory appeal available federal support submission two different arguments first idaho courts construe rules allowing appeals final judgments must accept federal definition finality cases brought second rules authorize appeal pre empted federal law find neither argument persuasive easily dispense petitioners first contention idaho must follow federal construction final decision even idaho federal statutes contained identical language interpretation idaho statute idaho binding federal courts neither federal tribunal authority place construction state statute different one rendered highest state see new york ferber exxon department revenue commissioner bosch proposition fundamental system federalism applicable procedural well substantive rules see wardius oregon definition term final decision weadopted mitchell application collateral order doctrine first recognized cohen beneficial industrial loan case cases following construing federal statutory language adopted similar collateral order exception construing jurisdictional statutes never suggested federal law compelled indeed number employ collateral order doctrines reject limitations placed idaho ofcourse place construction appellate rule placed clearly choice make one authority command petitioners also contend extent idaho appellate rule allow interlocutory appeal pre empted relying heavily felder casey petitioners first assert pre emption necessary avoid different outcomes litigation based solely whether claim asserted state federal second argue state procedure impermissibly burden federal immunity suit adequately protect right prevail immunity question advance trial two reasons petitioners heavy burden persuasion making argument first normal presumption pre emption buttressed fact idaho dismissal appeal rested squarely neutral state rule regarding administration state courts explained howlett rose state refuses jurisdiction neutral state rule regarding administration courts must act utmost caution deciding obligated entertain claim see missouri ex rel southern mayfield georgia rail road banking musgrove per curiam herb pitcairn douglas new york requirement state competent jurisdiction treat federal law law land necessarily include within requirement state create competent hear case federal claim presented general rule bottomed deeply belief importance state control state judicial procedure federal law takes state courts finds hart relations state federal law colum rev see also southland keating dissenting ferc mississippi opinion powell thus great latitude establish structure jurisdiction courts petitioner arguments pre emption strong enough overcome considerable hurdles contrary petitioners assertions idaho decision provide appellate review vast majority interlocutory orders including denials qualified immunity cases outcome determinative sense used term held wisconsin notice claim statute applied defeat federal civil rights action brought state courts felder failure comply wisconsin statute felder resulted judgment dismissing complaint dismissed least without judicial determination merits claim case filed federal one primary grounds decision notice claim requirement frequently predictably produce different outcomes depending whether claimswere brought state federal inconsistent federal interest uniformity petitioners reliance felder misplaced outcome used term referred ultimate disposition case petitioners claim qualified immunity meritorious suggestion application idaho rules procedure produce final result different federal ruling produce petitioners able argue immunity suit claim trial federal claim reviewable idaho trial enters final judgment thus providing petitioners chance urge immunity consequently postponement appeal final judgment affect ultimate outcome case petitioners second argument pre emption state procedural rule rule adequately protect right prevail advance trial evaluating contention important focus precise source scope federal right issue right trial rule merits qualified immunity defense presumably source right immediate appellate review ruling federal case source former right fully protected idaho latter right however federal procedural rightthat simply apply nonfederal forum locus right interlocutory appeal rather demonstrated holding johnson jones case government officials asserting qualified immunity claimed entitlement interlocutory appeal district order denying motion summary judgment ground record showed genuine issue material fact whether officials actually engaged conduct constituted clear violation constitutional law concluded circumstance different presented mitchell subject interlocutory appeal whether given set facts showed violation clearly established law held although allow interlocutory appeal latter circumstance appeal allowed former holding acknowledged whether district denial summary judgment amounts determination pre existing clearly established law determination genuine issues fact trial still forces public officials trial concluded strong countervailing considerations surrounding appropriateinterpretation sufficient importance outweigh officials interest avoiding burdens litigation countervailing considerations issue even stronger presented johnson pre emption state law issue must respect principles fundamental system federalism state courts share responsibility application enforcement federal law howlett respect apex confront claim federal law requires state undertake something fundamental restructuring operation courts therefore agree petitioners recognition defense qualified immunity pre empts state consistent application neutral procedural rules even rules deny interlocutory appeal context judgment state idaho dismissing petitioners appeal therefore affirmed ordered footnotes affidavits filed support motion treated motion summary judgment course case dismissed pleadings early pre trial stage qualified immunity also provides officials valuable protection burdens broad ranging discovery harlow fitzgerald mitchell forsyth involved bivens six unknown fed narcotics agents action federal official also construed authorize similar appeals actions brought state officials see johnson jones inal decision operative term whereas udgments orders decrees final language idaho appellate rule thus mitchell explained holding similar issues absolute immunity appealable collateral order doctrine see abney helstoski meanor nixon fitzgerald recognized question immunity separate merits underlying action purposes cohen test even though reviewing must consider plaintiff factual allegations resolving immunity issue accordingly hold district denial claim qualified immunity extent turns issue law appealable final decision within meaning notwithstanding absence final judgment omitted see richardson chevrefils although rulings normally treated interlocutory followed mitchell accepting state defendants appeal order denying motion summary judgment murray white mitchell held trial denial claim qualified immunity met collateral order requirements agree determination park county cooney wyo believe state decisions allow appeal reasons detailed mitchell better reasoned therefore hold order denying dismissal claim based qualified immunity order appealable see goldston american motors disqualification counsel appealable state collateral order doctrine notwithstandingrichardson merrell koller hanson federal signal super class certification denial notwithstanding coopers lybrand livesay see brief petitioners unlike notice claim rule issue felder casey idaho appellate rule target civil rights claims state see also howlett rose instead generally permits appeals udgments orders decrees final without regard identity party seeking appeal subject matter suit petitioners claim rule neutral permits interlocutory appeals certain limited circumstances denies appeal never held rule must monolithic neutral absent evidence appellate discriminates interlocutory appeals qualified immunity determinations defendants compared types appeals must deem state procedure neutral warrant observation rule idaho appellate rules provides state may grant permission appeal interlocutory order decree otherwise appealable rules involves controlling question law substantial grounds difference opinion immediate appeal may materially advance orderly resolution litigation presumably petitioners sought review permissive provision idaho might granted review view officials claim immunity substantial suit proceed see also brown western federal employers liability act pre empted different state pleading requirements effect defeat plaintiff cause action garrett moore mccormack federal jones act pre empted different state burden proof regarding releases effect defeat plaintiff cause action petitioners reliance dice akron therefore misplaced dice held federal employers liability act fela pre empted state rule denying right jury trial case however made clear congress provided fela jury trial procedure part claims brought act citing bailey central vermont case contrast congress mentioned nothing interlocutory appeals rather right immediate appeal federal system found obviously application state courts made quite clear matter state decide structure judicial system see slip obligation provide appellate review citing cases kohl lehlback right review appellate purely matter state concern mckane durston hether appeal allowed circumstances conditions matters state determine