Zeigler v. Area School District
Background
A School District Superintendent and High School Principal were sued by the mother of a former student who had committed suicide after graduating from the high school. Using the Civil Rights Act, the mother contended that her son's constitutional rights had been violated when he had been arrested on school property for possession of a controlled substance. As a result of his arrest and subsequent guilty plea, his mother argued that her son suffered from depression that caused him to commit suicide.
Solution
A Nauman Smith attorney represented the School District Superintendent and the High School Principal before the U.S. District Court in Williamsport and on appeal before the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. Nauman Smith argued that both the Superintendent and the Principal were entitled to immunity because they had not undertaken any actions that violated the U.S. Constitution. There is not a constitutional right to be free from arrest on school grounds for a violation of the law. In addition, the fact that an arrest may cause embarrassment is not actionable since there is not a constitutional right to be free from situations that may cause such embarrassment.
Result
Following Nauman Smith's argument before the district court, the case against the Superintendent and the Principal was dismissed. The attorney for the mother filed an appeal to the Third Circuit of Appeals. Ultimately, the Third Circuit agreed and affirmed the dismissal of the case.
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