POLICE LIABILITY DEFENSE

McGraw Morris Masud P.C. is a recognized leader in police liability defense litigation. Our attorneys have defended thousands of law-enforcement lawsuits in state and federal courts, representing municipalities, police agencies, command staff, and individual officers in high-risk, high-exposure matters.

Our practice focuses on defending claims arising from all aspects of police operations, including but not limited to:

• Allegations of excessive use of force
• False arrest and false imprisonment
• Federal and state civil-rights claims
• Vehicle pursuit and emergency-response litigation
• Alleged unlawful searches and seizures
• Claims involving conducted electrical weapons (CEWs) and K-9 deployments
• Jail and detention-related litigation, including in-custody deaths
• Wrongful conviction, and malicious prosecution claims
• FOIA requests and disputes involving law-enforcement records
• State-law tort claims, including assault and battery, defamation, and malicious prosecution

Deep Understanding of Law-Enforcement Operations

Our attorneys are uniquely attuned to the operational realities, legal pressures, and public scrutiny faced by today’s law-enforcement professionals. We understand how policing decisions are made in real time—and how those decisions are later evaluated in civil, criminal, and administrative forums.

In addition to litigation defense, we routinely counsel and advise municipal clients and law-enforcement agencies on a wide range of police-liability matters, including:

• Records-retention policies and public-records compliance
• Internal and external investigations
• Critical-incident response and early case assessment
• Litigation readiness and strategic planning
• Deposition and trial testimony preparation
• Risk management and liability mitigation

Proven Appellate Leadership

The attorneys at McGraw Morris Masud have played a significant role in shaping Michigan police-liability law. For example, the firm prevailed in a published Michigan Supreme Court decision establishing that the term “executive authority” encompasses all authority vested in the highest executive official of a level of government by virtue of that official’s role within the executive branch. The firm also prevailed in the Michigan Supreme Court decision that upheld the “public duty doctrine” as it applies to government employees, specifically police officers. These decisions continue to guide courts and public entities statewide.

Focused, Experienced Representation

Police liability defense is not a secondary practice area for our firm—it is a core focus. Our attorneys bring decades of combined experience defending law-enforcement clients at every stage of litigation, from early incident review through trial and appeal.

Our approach is deliberate, strategic, and grounded in a deep understanding of both the law and the profession we serve.