Mealey's (September 9, 2020, 12:08 PM EDT) -- PHILADELPHIA — A Third Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals panel on Aug. 24 partially reversed a trial court's denial of qualified immunity to a Pennsylvania judge in a lawsuit by a county employee alleging civil rights violations following the end of a sexual relationship between the two and held that while the judge must face equal protection and retaliation claims, the judge is entitled to qualified immunity for the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution association claim as neither the claim pleaded by the employee nor the claim construed by the court "alleges a violation of a clearly established right" (Crystal Starnes v. Butler County Court of Common Pleas, et al., No. 18-3271, 3rd Cir., 2020 U.S. App. LEXIS 26794)....