Supreme Court revives lawsuit over mistaken FBI raid on Atlanta home

WASHINGTON – An Atlanta family whose home was wrongly raided by the FBI will get a new day in court, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously on Thursday.

SEE ALSO: Mistaken FBI raid: Supreme Court to hear Atlanta woman’s case Tuesday

The FBI team quickly apologized and left for the right place, with the team leader later saying that his personal GPS device had led him to the wrong address. But Trina Martin and her then-boyfriend, Toi Cliatt, and her son were left with lasting trauma and a damaged home.

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But lower courts tossed out the case.

Public interest groups from across the political spectrum urged the justices to overturn the ruling from the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, saying it severely narrows the legal path for people to file law enforcement accountability cases against the federal government.

The federal law at the center of this case actually refers back to state law, Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote. While the government is typically immune from lawsuits, it allows those claims in some situations that would create liability under state law.

“Congress has entered the field and expressly bound the federal government to accept liability under state tort law on the same terms as a ‘private individual,’” Gorsuch wrote.

Gabe and Trina (Credit: Institute of Justice)

In a brief telephone interview, Trina Martin said she was ecstatic.

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