In Barnes v. Felix (2025), the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously struck down the 5th Circuit’s “moment-of-threat” rule for evaluating police use of force, reaffirming the broader “totality of the circumstances” standard established in Graham v. Connor. The case involved a fatal police shooting during a traffic stop, where an officer fired as a vehicle began moving with him on the doorsill. The 5th Circuit had upheld the officer’s actions by focusing solely on the moment the threat appeared. However, the Supreme Court ruled that reasonableness must be assessed by examining all relevant events—including actions leading up to the shooting—not just the split-second decision. The Court declined to address whether an officer’s own role in escalating a situation should factor into the analysis. This decision resolved a divide among lower courts and clarified that excessive force claims must consider the full context, not just isolated moments.