What did the Supreme Court rule in Kingsley v. Hendrickson?

• A. A pretrial detainee must show that the force used was subjectively reasonable.
• B. A pretrial detainee must show that the force used was objectively unreasonable based on the facts and circumstances.
• C. A pretrial detainee has no right to challenge force used.
• D. The detainee's state of mind is irrelevant.

Answer: (B)

Kingsley v. Hendrickson sets the standard for excessive force claims by pretrial detainees under the Fourteenth Amendment. The Supreme Court ruled that a pretrial detainee can prevail by showing that the force used was objectively unreasonable in light of the facts and circumstances confronting the officer on the scene. The key point is that the detainee does not have to prove the officer acted with a particular mental state or subjective intent; the focus is on whether the force was unreasonable given what was happening at the time. This uses an objective reasonableness lens, applied to the totality of the circumstances, rather than requiring evidence of the officer’s subjective beliefs. This distinction matters because it protects pretrial detainees’ due process rights without demanding proof of the officer’s internal motives.