In what year was Graham v. Connor established?

• A. 1985
• B. 1989
• C. 1992
• D. 1998

Answer: (B)

Graham v. Connor established the standard for evaluating police use of force under the Fourth Amendment as objective reasonableness, judged from the perspective of a reasonable officer on the scene. The essential idea is that what matters is how the officer’s actions would appear at the moment the force is used, not with the benefit of hindsight. When applying this standard, courts weigh factors such as the seriousness of the alleged crime, whether the suspect posed an immediate threat, and whether the suspect was actively resisting or attempting to flee. The ruling was issued by the Supreme Court in 1989, which is why the year is 1989. This timing matters because it anchors the test used in countless use-of-force cases since then; other years reflect different cases or contexts, not this decision.