FBI Wrong-House Raid—Supreme Court Checks Federal Immunity in Martin v. United States

In this episode of Unwritten Law, NCLA’s Mark Chenoweth and John Vecchione are joined by litigation counsel Casey Norman to discuss the Supreme Court ruling in Martin v. United States. The case arose from a terrifying FBI wrong-house raid that left an innocent family traumatized and with few options for redress. Casey explains how the Court clarified the scope of the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), rejecting the Eleventh Circuit’s expansive interpretation of federal immunity. They discuss how this decision strengthens property rights, limits governmental power, and restores accountability when federal agents violate citizens' liberties.

Key topics include the discretionary-function exception, the intentional-tort proviso, qualified immunity, and the critical role the FTCA plays in checking executive branch abuses.