Supreme Court Revives Atlanta Family’s FBI Wrong-Raid Lawsuit

The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously revived a lawsuit brought by an Atlanta family whose home was mistakenly raided by an FBI SWAT team in 2017. The agents, acting on a faulty GPS location, broke down the wrong door, detonated a flashbang grenade, and held the family at gunpoint before realizing their error. Lower courts had dismissed the family's claims, citing qualified immunity and the Constitution’s supremacy clause, but the Supreme Court ruled these were misapplied and sent the case back to the 11th Circuit for further consideration. The case centers on interpretations of the Federal Tort Claims Act, particularly exceptions relating to intentional torts and discretionary functions of federal employees. Justice Neil Gorsuch authored the opinion emphasizing that the law enforcement proviso should not be broadly construed to shield the government from liability in such cases. The decision allows the family’s claims for personal injuries and property damage to proceed, underscoring the need for legal remedies for victims of wrongful government actions.