American Jurisprudence, Second Edition
Database updated May 2003
Municipal, County, School, and State Tort Liability
Topic Summary; Parallel References; List of Topics; Index
TOPIC CONTENTS
A. Overview and Background (ss 1 to 11)
B. Immunity of Municipality or County
2. Validity of Immunity (ss 16 to 19)
3. Judicial Abrogation or Limitation of Immunity
b. Prospective or Retroactive Effect of Abrogation (ss 22, 23)
4. Statutory Abrogation, Waiver, or Reinstatement of Immunity
b. Statute Applicable to Other Division of Government (s 27)
5. Liability or Indemnity Insurance Affecting Immunity (ss 28 to 31)
C. Immunity of Schools and Related Bodies (ss 32 to 36)
2. Statutory Abrogation, Waiver, or Reinstatement of Immunity
b. Statute with Specific Objective or Purpose (ss 45, 46)
II. Immunity Affected by Nature of Act or Function
A. Governmental or Proprietary Distinction
2. Immunity of Particular Government Entities (ss 48 to 52)
3. Definitions and Standards for Applying Distinction
b. General Benefit to Public Versus Special Benefit to Government (ss 55 to 58)
c. Other Factors, Tests, or Circumstances (ss 59 to 64)
4. Abrogation, Limitation, or Reinstatement of Distinction (ss 65, 66)
B. Discretionary or Ministerial Distinction
1. In General; Immunity of Particular Government Entities (ss 67 to 70)
2. Basis, Purposes, and Objectives of Immunity (s 71)
3. Definitions and Standards for Applying Distinction
b. Planning or Operational Distinction (ss 78 to 80)
c. Basis or Nature of Duty (ss 81, 82)
d. Exception for Abuse of Discretion, Unreasonableness, or Wrongdoing (s 83)
C. The Special Relationship/Public Duty Exception to Immunity (ss 84 to 90)
A. Liability Under Tort Claims Acts, in General
2. Permissible Causes of Action (ss 93 to 96)
B. Strict Liability in Tort (ss 97, 98)
1. Essential Elements of Negligence
(1).. In General (ss 100, 101)
(2).. General Duty/Special Duty Dichotomy (ss 102 to 106)
c. Standard of Care (ss 107, 108)
d. Damage or Injury Proximately Caused (s 109)
2. Other Bases of Liability for Negligence (ss 110 to 112)
3. Defenses or Exceptions to Liability
b. Legal Authority for Act or Function (ss 116 to 118)
D. Liability for Maritime Torts (s 119)
E. Liability for Creation or Maintenance of Nuisance
1. Liability of Particular Government Entities (ss 120 to 123)
2. Nature of Act or Function; Authorization by Law (ss 124 to 126)
3. Nature of Injury or Damage (ss 127, 128)
4. Elements, Prerequisites, and Limitations of Liability for Nuisance (ss 129 to 135)
F. Liability for Failure to Abate Nuisance (ss 136, 137)
G. Liability for Libel and Slander; Defamation (ss 138, 139)
H. Liability for Intentional Torts (ss 140 to 144)
I. Respondeat Superior; Liability for Acts of Officers, Agents, or Employees
1. In General; Definitions and Distinctions (ss 145, 146)
2. Liability of Particular Government Entities (ss 147 to 151)
3. Essential Elements of Liability Under Respondeat Superior (ss 152 to 157)
4. Exceptions to Liability Under Respondeat Superior (ss 158 to 166)
5. Ratification as Basis of Liability (s 167)
IV. Liability for Particular Acts or Omissions of Government
A. Enactment or Enforcement of Law
2. Failure to Enact or Enforce (ss 173 to 177)
3. Grant, Denial, or Revocation of License, Permit, or Franchise (ss 178 to 182)
4. Particular Laws or Ordinances (ss 183 to 186)
B. Operation or Regulation of Motor Vehicles
1. Licensing or Regulation of Drivers (ss 187 to 191)
2. Municipal Parking Facilities (ss 192, 193)
b. Liability Under Statute (ss 197 to 200)
c. Admissibility of Municipality's Safety Rules (ss 201 to 206)
4. Other Particular Bases of Liability for Motor Vehicles (ss 207 to 209)
C. Garbage Collection, Removal, and Disposal
2. Maintenance and Operation of Incinerators, Disposal Plants, and Public Dumps
b. Liability Based on Nuisance, in General (ss 218 to 223)
c. Nuisance in Fact (ss 224 to 231)
d. Incinerator as Nuisance (ss 232 to 234)
D. Construction, Operation, Management, or Use of Buildings or Property
2. Dangerous Conditions of Public Property
b. Public Property Defined; Ownership or Control (ss 240 to 244)
c. Dangerous Condition Defined (ss 245 to 248)
d. Elements of Knowledge, Foreseeability, and Notice (ss 249 to 251)
e. Particular Conditions, Activities, or Omissions (ss 252 to 256)
b. Liability for Injuries or Damage in Particular Buildings or Areas (ss 264 to 268)
4. Public Utilities (ss 269 to 271)
5. Public Bathing and Swimming Facilities
a. Governmental or Proprietary Distinction (ss 272 to 275)
b. Other Particular Bases of Liability (ss 276 to 279)
c. Failure to Provide Supervision, Warning, or Protection (ss 280 to 289)
6. Construction, Maintenance, and Repair of Public Improvements
b. Legislative or Statutory Authorization for Improvement (ss 296 to 300)
E. Construction, Maintenance, or Use of Sewers, Drains, or Waterways
2. Defective or Inefficient Plan of Sewerage or Drainage System
b. Bases of Liability (ss 316 to 326)
3. Construction of Drains and Sewers
b. Particular Circumstances or Facilities (ss 336 to 338)
4. Maintenance and Repair of Sewers and Drains
a. Liability for Negligence (ss 339 to 343)
b. Liability for Nuisance (ss 344, 345)
c. Particular Circumstances or Facilities (ss 346 to 348)
d. Obstruction or Clogging of Drains or Sewers
(1).. In General (ss 349 to 359)
(2).. Particular Circumstances or Facilities (ss 360 to 364)
5. Flooding; Wrongful Discharge of Water or Sewage (ss 365 to 370)
(1).. In General (ss 373 to 376)
(2).. Particular Circumstances or Factors Affecting Liability (ss 377 to 384)
7. Watercourses, Surface Waters, Ponds, and Reservoirs
b. Surface Waters (ss 387 to 393)
F. Crime Prevention and Control
2. Respondeat Superior as Basis of Liability (ss 398 to 403)
3. Condition of Station or Building of Law Enforcement Agency or Department (s 404)
4. Hiring, Training, and Supervision of Officers (ss 405, 406)
5. Failure to Provide Protection from Crime
b. Duty from Special Relationship to Crime Victim (ss 410 to 418)
6. Failure to Investigate Crime (ss 419, 420)
7. Arrest, Detention, or Imprisonment of Person
b. Failure to Arrest or Detain Person (ss 423 to 427)
c. False Arrest, Detention, or Imprisonment (s 428)
a. Governmental Bodies Subject to Liability (ss 429 to 431)
b. Particular Bases of Liability for Use of Excessive Force (ss 432 to 434)
9. Use of Motor Vehicles and Other Transportation Facilities
b. Chase or Pursuit of Suspected Criminal or Law-Breaker (ss 439 to 443)
c. Other Particular Bases of Liability (ss 444 to 446)
G. Fire Prevention and Control
1. Immunity, Generally (ss 447 to 450)
2. Failure to Provide Fire Protection (ss 451 to 453)
3. Failure to Extinguish Fires (ss 454, 455)
4. Failure to Inspect Property and Prevent Fire Hazards (ss 456 to 458)
5. Use of Fire Control Vehicles and Other Means of Transportation (ss 459 to 465)
6. Adequacy of Water Supply or Pressure for Fire Control
b. Municipal Ownership and Operation of Water Supply (ss 468 to 471)
7. Other Particular Matters Affecting Immunity or Liability (ss 472 to 478)
H. Operation of Public Schools
1. Exceptions and Limitations Affecting Immunity or Liability
a. Statutes Affecting Immunity or Liability (ss 479 to 487)
b. Particular Functions as Governmental or Proprietary (ss 488 to 496)
c. Nuisances Resulting in Injury or Damage (ss 497 to 499)
d. Active or Positive Wrongs; Willful or Intentional Misconduct (s 500)
2. Liability Under Particular Circumstances
a. Supervision of Students (ss 501 to 510)
b. Condition of Buildings or Equipment (ss 511 to 516)
c. Condition of Grounds, Walks, and Playgrounds
(1).. In General (ss 517 to 523)
(2).. Particular Factors Affecting Liability (ss 524 to 528)
d. Use of Premises and Equipment for Other Than School Purposes (ss 529 to 533)
(1).. In General (ss 534 to 536)
(2).. Particular Factors Affecting Liability (ss 537 to 540)
(3).. Particular Conditions and Circumstances (ss 541 to 544)
(1).. In General (ss 545 to 553)
(2).. Particular Activities (ss 554 to 557)
g. School Athletic Events (ss 558 to 561)
h. Chemistry Experiments, Shop Work, and Manual or Vocational Training
(1).. In General (ss 562 to 567)
(2).. Particular Accidents or Injuries (ss 568, 569)
i. Acts of Fellow Students (ss 570 to 574)
j. Criminal Acts by Non-Students (ss 575, 576)
k. Educational Malpractice (ss 577 to 579)
l. Hiring or Retaining Incompetent or Unsuitable Teacher (s 580)
3. Personal Liability of School Personnel for Personal Injury or Death of Student
b. School Executive or Administrative Officers (ss 586 to 589)
c. Other School Employees (ss 590, 591)
I. Other Particular Acts or Omissions (ss 592 to 602)
A. In General; Jurisdiction (ss 603 to 606)
D. Pleading; Process and Service
4. Amendment of Pleadings (ss 624 to 627)
2. Statutory Limitation on Amount and Nature of Damages
b. Limit Applicable to Damages Recoverable or Recovered; Apportionment (ss 642 to 645)
c. Jury Instructions; Claims and Evidence (ss 646, 647)