bell hood argued january decided april wirin russell parsons los angeles petitioners bernays wiener providence respondents justice black delivered opinion petitioners brought suit federal district recover damages excess respondents agents federal bureau investigation complaint alleges jurisdiction founded upon federal questions arising fourth fifth amendments alleged damages suffered result defendants imprisoning petitioners violation constitutional right free deprivation liberty without due process law subjecting premises search possessions seizure violation constitutional right free unreasonable searches seizures respondents moved dismiss complaint failure state cause action relief granted summary judgment grounds federal agents acted within scope authority officers searches seizures incidental lawful arrests therefore valid respondents filed affidavits support motions petitioners filed affidavits hearing motions district judge pass motion dismissed suit want federal jurisdiction ground action one arises constitution laws required circuit appeals affirmed ground time denied motion made petitioners asking direct district give petitioners leave amend complaint order make still clearly appear action directly grounded violations rights alleged stem fourth fifth amendments granted certiorari importance jurisdictional issue involved respondents make following argument support district dismissal complaint want federal jurisdiction first urge complaint cause action common law tort trespass made actionable state law therefore raise questions arising constitution laws second support contention respondents maintain petitioners recover constitution laws since constitution expressly provide recovery money damages violations fourth fifth amendments congress enacted statute provide mere reading complaint refutes first contention seen second one decisive question jurisdiction federal whether complaint drafted common law action trespass made actionable state law clear way drawn petitioners seek recovery squarely ground respondents violated fourth fifth amendments charges respondents conspired acts prohibited amendments alleges respondents conduct pursuant conspiracy resulted damages excess doubted therefore pleaders purpose make violation constitutional provisions basis suit deciding jurisdiction district must look way complaint drawn see drawn claim right recover constitution laws extent party brings suit master decide law rely upon determine whether bring arising constitution laws declaration bill fair kohler die specialty though mere failure set federal constitutional claims specifically petitioners done always conclusive party bringing suit complaint drawn seek recovery directly constitution laws federal two possible exceptions later noted must entertain suit thus allegations far less specific ones complaint us held adequate show matter controversy arose constitution wiley sinkler swafford templetion reason must assume jurisdiction decide whether allegations state cause action grant relief well determine issues fact arising controversy jurisdiction therefore defeated respondents seem contend possibility averments might fail state cause action petitioners actually recover well settled failure state proper cause action calls judgment merits dismissal want jurisdiction whether complaint cause action relief granted question law issues fact must decided assumed jurisdiction controversy later exercise jurisdiction determine allegations complaint state ground relief dismissal case merits want jurisdiction swafford templeton binderup pathe exchange previously carved exceptions suit may sometimes dismissed want jurisdiction alleged claim constitution federal statutes clearly appears immaterial made solely purpose obtaining jurisdiction claim wholly insubstantial frivolous accuracy calling dismissals jurisdictional questioned fair kohler die specialty supra page page cf swafford templeton supra already pointed alleged violations constitution immaterial form rather sole basis relief sought say cause action alleged patently without merit justify even qualifications noted dismissal want jurisdiction circuit appeals correctly stated complaint strong cases allegations foundation truth plaintiffs legal rights ruthlessly violated petitioners complaint asserts fourth fifth amendments guarantee rights free unauthorized unjustified imprisonment unreasonable searches seizures claim respondents invasion rights caused damages seek recover point authorizes federal district courts try civil nature matter controversy constitution laws whether suits petitioners argue statute authorizes entertain action law grant recovery damages allegedly sustained respondents contend constitutional provisions involved prohibitions federal government government authorize recovery money damages suits unauthorized officials according respondents position individual trespassers respondents contention show petitioners cause insubstantial frivolous complaint fact raise serious questions law fact district decide assumed jurisdiction controversy issue law whether federal courts grant money recovery damages said suffered result federal officers violating fourth fifth amendments question never specifically decided issue thus raised sufficient merit warrant exercise federal jurisdiction purposes adjudicating seen cases sustained jurisdiction district courts suits brought recover damages depriving citizen right vote violation constitution established practice sustain jurisdiction federal courts issue injunctions protect rights safeguarded restrain individual state officers amendment forbids state moreover federally protected rights invaded rule beginning courts alert adjust remedies grant necessary relief also well settled legal rights invaded federal statute provides general right sue invasion federal courts may use available remedy make good wrong done whether tioners entitled recover depends upon interpretatin determination scope fourth fifth amendments protection unreasonable searches deprivations liberty without due process law thus right petitioners recover complaint sustained constitution laws given one construction defeated given another reason district jurisdiction gully first national bank smith kansas city title trust reversed justice reed joins opinion result desires add cases cited note barron mayor city council city baltimore pet burdeau mcdowell justice jackson took part consideration decision case chief justice stone justice burton dissenting district without jurisdiction federal unless complaint cause action arising constitution laws whether complaint cause action pleader say provision constitution federal statute affords remedy may circumstances availed plaintiff fact pleading bring within class one entitled remedy goes sufficiency pleading jurisdiction fair kohler die specialty binderup pathe exchange cases cited neither constitutional provision act congress affords remedy person mere assertion plaintiff entitled remedy said satisfy jurisdictional requirements hence think courts rightly decided district without jurisdiction cause action constitution laws stated effect holding jurisdiction conferred pleader unfounded assertion one remedy damages arising fourth fifth amendments transfer th federal trial allegations trespass person property cause action arising wholly state law even though decided petitioners right damages constitution district required pass upon question whether facts stated petitioners give rise cause action trespass state law see hurn oursler footnotes complaint stated part day december defendant hood defendants unlawfully conspired act beyond authority said federal bureau investigation agents police officers respectively agreed abridge constitutional rights plaintiffs guaranteed fourth fifth amendments constitution free deprivation liberty property without due process law free unreasonable searches seizures agreed unlawfully simultaneously early morning december search homes individual plaintiffs herein without warrants search seizure unlawfully seize papers documents effects said plaintiffs falsely imprison individual plaintiffs unlawfully arresting individual plaintiffs without warrant arrest unreasonably delay taking individual plaintiffs committing officer order effectuate unlawful searches seizures aforesaid thereafter day december defendants order carry terms conditions illegal conspiracy aforesaid solely purpose carrying said terms conditions arrest imprison individual plaintiffs herein search homes said plaintiffs seize carry away books papers effects said individual plaintiffs nd said reason deprivation constitutional rights plaintiffs suffered damages cases discussing distinction questions going merits going jurisdiction see following illinois central railroad adams geneve furniture mfg karpen see nashville louis ry taylor wiley sinker supra swafford templeton supra see also brickerhouse brooks similar suit held within jurisdiction federal philadelphia stimson hays port seattle pennoyer mcconnaughy city railway citizens railroad city mitchell dakota central telephone chicago city chicago see also ex parte state virginia marbury madison cranch texas brotherhood ry clerks see dooley cases cited discussed pages pages board commissioners jackson county