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28 U. Pa. J. Const. L. 1 (2026)

handle is hein.journals/upjcl28 and id is 1 raw text is: ADJUDICATIVE RETROACTIVITY AND CONSTITUTIONAL SAFE HARBORS Adam B. Thimmesch* The Supreme Couit' retroactivity doctrine, together with much ofthe accompaniing legal scholarhip, has increasingl' treated federal adjudication a. necessarily retroactive. But that understanding emerged lagel' in the ntext ofa constitutional history marked by the expansion of'individual rights and by correponding limits on governmentpower. This Article addresses the opposite settirg: cases in which the Court overrules precedent that had protected conduct, thereby eliminating a constitutional safe harbor' and expanding the scope of individual liability. Retroactivity in this context raises distinctive concerns, includiro threat. to Rule of Law value~, individual liberty, and the intitutional legitimacy of the Court itself The mere rik ofretroactive liability can also be weaponized b government actors to chill the exercise of recognized rights 1mor to any interpretive change by the Court. This Article repond to those harm. by exploring thefailure ofthe exiting doctrine and cholarhip to accountpr the unique iues raied by the los. of contitutional .safe harbors. It alo dicuse the conequences of that omision, including an overreliance on remedial doctrines that are inadequate to address the retroactivity risk. The Article,then advae., to omplementar; theoie. fr lm iting retroacti.ity in thee crum<an e.. Firt, it argue that|uni;pr . i adiation in thi. <tory ofcae. is both co itet wmth th< npitive lawand normativeIy jijn<| ed <ecnd it nt<nij. a du roce.. right rooted in fai rnotic rinciple. that hie l i. nv als from retroactive civil liability when their conduct was con.stitutionally protected at the time it occurred. The Article thus offers a more complete view of adjudicative retroactivity-one that accounts for both the expanion and erosion of constitutional protections. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION........................................................................................ 2 I. RETROACTIVITY UNDER U.S. LAW .........................................................8 A. Introductory Terminology.................................................................. 11 B. Developing Notions of M andatory Adjudicative Retroactivity................. 13 C. The Rise of M andatory Retroactivity in Civil Cases........................... 16 II. THE RETROACTIVITY RISK ..................................................................21 A. Retroactivity Weaponized .....................................................................23 https://doi.org/ 10.58112/jcl.28-1.1. Margaret R. Larson Professor of Law, University of Nebraska College of Law. I want to extend thanks to many generous colleagues for their assistance throughout this project. Special thanks go particularly to Eric Berger,Jessica Shoemaker, Kyle Langvardt, DanielleJefferis, BrandonJohnson, Bradley Joondeph, and the participants at the University of Nebraska of Law Summer Research Colloquium and the Constitutional Law Colloquium at Florida State University. Thank you also to Matt Novak for his research assistance. I