Supreme Court Unanimously Revives Lawsuit Against FBI for Atlanta Wrong-House Raid

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Supreme Court has unanimously ruled, allowing an Atlanta family to proceed with their lawsuit against the FBI following a mistaken raid on their home in 2017. The decision, delivered in Martin v. United States, sends the case back to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for further review, affirming that victims of federal misconduct have a pathway to seek accountability.

Patrick Jaicomo, a senior attorney with the non-profit Institute for Justice (IJ) who represented the family, announced the victory on social media. > "I just won a case in the Supreme Court against the FBI for a wrong-house raid in Atlanta," Jaicomo stated in a recent tweet. He further added, > "If you can put me in touch with anyone filming or watching this arrest who had a gun pointed at them, please do. I’d like to chat, and my work is free."

The case stems from an October 2017 incident where an FBI SWAT team mistakenly raided the home of Trina Martin, her partner Toi Cliatt, and her then-seven-year-old son Gabe. Agents, believing they were targeting a suspected gang member, burst into the family's suburban Atlanta residence, using a battering ram and a flash-bang grenade, before realizing their error. The family subsequently sought compensation for the trauma and damages incurred.

The Supreme Court's decision, authored by Justice Neil Gorsuch, clarified the application of the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), a law designed to allow individuals to sue the federal government for negligent or wrongful acts by its employees. Lower courts had previously barred the family's lawsuit, citing exceptions to the FTCA. The high court rejected these interpretations, emphasizing that the FTCA's purpose is to ensure remedies for victims of federal harms.

The Institute for Justice, a public interest law firm, has been at the forefront of challenging immunity doctrines that shield government officials from accountability. Jaicomo leads IJ's Project on Immunity and Accountability, working to ensure individual rights are enforceable against the government. The ruling in Martin v. United States represents a significant step towards holding federal agencies accountable for operational errors and potential constitutional violations.