Charles Insler recently won an appeal before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit involving issues of qualified immunity on behalf of a pro bono client. Mr. Insler had been appointed by the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Missouri to represent a prisoner who alleged that he was subjected to excessive force in the course of his arrest, in violation of his Fourth Amendment rights. The police department and detective in the case filed a Motion for Summary Judgment, arguing that there had been no excessive force and that they were entitled to qualified immunity. The judge denied the detective’s motion for summary judgment and the detective appealed the denial of qualified immunity to the Eighth Circuit.

After the Eighth Circuit requested that Mr. Insler continue his pro bono representation, Mr. Insler briefed the issues on appeal and argued the case before the appellate court. After hearing oral argument, the Eighth Circuit affirmed the denial of summary judgment. The case is now expected to proceed to trial.

Insler, a partner in the firm’s St. Louis office, focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation, including employment and labor law, as well as appellate work. He is also an accomplished writer whose works have appeared in both national and international publications.