Wood v. Strickland 420 U.S. 308 (1975)

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WOOD v. STRICKLAND 420 U.S. 308 (1975)

This was an early case in the development of executive immunity from damages in civil rights actions alleging constitutional violations. The case involved the liability of school board members for alleged violations of students' due process rights. The Supreme Court, in an opinion by Justice byron r. white, clarified its holding in scheuer v. rhodes (1974) by expressly stating that the good faith defense of executive officials contained both subjective and objective elements. An official must subjectively believe he is doing right and must not act in "ignorance or disregard of settled, indisputable law." Harlow v. Fitzgerald (1982) later undermined the subjective component of Wood 's test.

(See nixon v. fitzgerald.)

Theodore Eisenberg
(1986)

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