Qualified immunity can shield an officer from civil liability even when a court does not decide whether the officer’s use of deadly force violated the Fourth Amendment. The decision shows why qualified immunity cases often turn on factual comparisons with prior rulings. 2026)Few cases illustrate the purpose — and the current controversy — of qualified immunity better than Searles v. City of Houston. This approach reflects the Supreme Court’s repeated instruction that courts may dispose of qualified immunity cases without deciding difficult constitutional questions when clearly established law is lacking. Qualified immunity is not a substitute for sound tactics, patience or good judgment.