523 U.S. 833 (1998)
The case of Sacramento v. Lewis stands as a pivotal moment in the expansion and clarification of substantive due process claims against governmental entities in the context of police conduct.
Does a police officer violate an individual's substantive due process rights under the Fourteenth Amendment by causing death through conduct that merely shows 'deliberate indifference' during a high-speed chase?
For conduct to violate substantive due process rights under the Fourteenth Amendment in the context of a high-speed chase, the officer's actions must 'shock the conscience.'
The United States Supreme Court held that the conduct of the police officers did not 'shock the conscience' and therefore did not violate substantive due process rights.
This case is significant for law students as it clarifies the threshold at which substantive due process is breached in varying contexts. It underscores the cautious approach courts must take when judging split-second decisions by law enforcement, precluding liability unless conduct is truly egregious. The 'shocks the conscience' standard set forth in this case serves as a critical benchmark for analyzing future cases involving alleged violations of substantive due process by governmental authorities.