MISSOULA, Mont. — The Montana Supreme Court has ruled that Federal law enforcement agencies may be held accountable for officers who commit sexual violence while at work.

This ruling stems from L.B. v United States, where a federal officer sexually assaulted a Native American woman. The woman sued the Bureau of Indian Affairs for the federal officer's actions, causing the Courts to question if the officer's employment can be held responsible for the sexual assault.

The Montana Supreme Court ruled that federal agencies can be held responsible for such actions taken by its employees and can pay damages for their conduct.

ACLU of Montana released the following information:

The Montana Supreme Court ruled in L.B. vs United States that Federal law enforcement agencies may be held liable when officers commit sexual violence on the job. This ruling comes in a case involving a federal officer who sexually assaulted a Native American woman. After she sued the Bureau of Indian Affairs for the actions of the federal officer, the Courts grappled with the question of whether the sexual assault was within the officer’s scope of employment. The Montana Supreme Court ruled definitively that federal agencies are not shielded from liability – or immune from paying damages – for such conduct. In so holding, the Court credited the arguments presented in “friend of the court” briefs that “there is systemic misconduct within the BIA and violence against Native American women on reservations.”

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