Paldo v. Brerenton

**Paldo v. Brerenton: Court Dismisses Late-Filed Police Excessive Force Case** This case involved a person who claimed that a Charlottesville Police Department officer used excessive force against them. The person waited 818 days (over two years) after the incident before filing a lawsuit against the officer in federal court. The court dismissed the case entirely without looking at whether excessive force actually occurred. The judge ruled that the lawsuit was filed too late under federal law, which requires these types of civil rights claims to be filed within two years (730 days) of when the incident happened. The person missed this deadline by 88 days. This ruling highlights an important time limit that affects all workers, especially those in law enforcement or anyone who might face civil rights violations at work. If you believe your civil rights were violated by a government employee (including supervisors in public jobs), you must act quickly. Waiting too long to file a lawsuit can result in losing your right to seek justice entirely, regardless of how strong your case might be. Workers should consult with an attorney promptly after any incident to understand applicable deadlines and protect their legal rights.