Kiddy-Brown v. Blagojevich

After her employment as warden at an Illinois state prison was terminated, Sandra Kiddy-Brown brought this action against several Illinois state officials. She asserted claims based on 42 U.S.C. § 1983, alleging that her rights under the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution had been violated. The defendants moved for judgment on the pleadings and asserted a qualified immunity defense with respect to each of Ms. Kiddy-Browns claims. The district court denied the defendants motion for judgment on the pleadings and denied them a qualified immunity defense. The defendants then appealed to this court. For the reasons set forth in this opinion, we now affirm in part and reverse in part the judgment of the district court, and we remand the case for further proceedings.