How does qualified immunity protect government officials?

Qualified immunity is a legal doctrine that shields government officials, including law enforcement officers, from liability for civil damages as long as their actions did not violate clearly established statutory or constitutional rights of which a reasonable person would have known. This means that if an official's conduct did not violate a recognized right that was clearly established at the time of the incident, they are typically protected from being held personally liable in a civil lawsuit.

The key aspect of qualified immunity is the requirement that the rights must be "clearly established." This ensures that government officials have some protection when they are making decisions in the field, particularly in situations where legal standards may not be straightforward or universally understood.

In contrast, other options refer to different scenarios. Qualified immunity does not protect officials from all criminal charges, nor is it limited to federal cases. It applies to damages from civil rights complaints, but the answer specifically highlights the focus on clearly established rights rather than an absolute shield from all civil complaints.