Official/Qualified Immunity, Sovereign Immunity, TTCA

14th Court of Appeals holds police officer is entitled to official immunity in police chase case after providing detailed affidavits.

City of Houston v. Paula Collins,14-16-00449-CV (Tex. App— Houston [ 14th Dist.] January 31, 2017) This is a Texas Tort Claims Act vehicle accident case involving official immunity where the 14th Court of Appeals reversed and rendered the denial of the City’s
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Sovereign Immunity, TTCA

Death from slip on kayak cut in dam not actionable under TTCA, but failure to maintain scour hole is says Fort Worth Court of Appeals

Tarrant Regional Water District v. Richard Johnson and Sharkara Johnson, 02-16-00043-CV (Tex. App— Fort Worth, December 30, 2016) This is an interlocutory appeal in a Texas Tort Claims Act (“TTCA”) case where the Fort Worth Court of Appeals affirmed-in-part and reversed-in-part the
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Sovereign Immunity, TTCA

“Wet floor” warning sign sufficient as a matter of law to warn of dried but slippery wax on floor under TTCA says Beaumont Court of Appeals

 Montgomery County v. David Lanoue, 09-16-00195-CV (Tex. App— Beaumont, December 29,2016) This is a Texas Tort Claims Act (“TTCA”) slip-and-fall case where the Beaumont Court of Appeals reversed the denial of the County’s plea to the jurisdiction and dismissed the case. When
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Discrimination, Employment Law, Sovereign Immunity

Since manager’s position was reorganized into director position, former manager was not “replaced” with someone outside of her protected class

DISD reorganized the CAFD, renamed it the Finance and Accounting Support for Campuses Department (the FASCD), and decided the new department should be led by a Director, a position one managerial level higher than Manager. The DISD hired Donna Zemanek, an Anglo
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Contracts, Sovereign Immunity

Texas Supreme Court holds contractor who rebuilt homes destroyed in hurricane for property owners was also providing “services” to Planning Commission, so Chapter 271 waiver of immunity applies.

BYRDSON SERVICES, LLC, D/B/A EXCELLO CONSTRUCTION, LLC v. SOUTH EAST TEXAS REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION, No. 15-0158 (Tex. December 23, 2016) After South East Texas Regional Planning Commission (“Planning Commission” or “Commission”) received federal hurricane relief funding it contracted with Byrdson Services to
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Litigation, Procedure, Sovereign Immunity

Plaintiff failed to request opportunity to amend pleadings before ruling on plea to the jurisdiction so waived argument says 2nd Court of Appeals

 Arthur Delgado, Jr. v. River Oaks Police Department and City of River Oaks, 02-15-00205-CV (Tex. App— Fort Worth, November 23, 2016) Delgado sued the City and the Police Department for claims arising from his arrest for driving while intoxicated and an involuntary
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Sovereign Immunity, TTCA

Falling item in room was a premise defect case, not a tangible personal property case under TTCA says Dallas Court of Appeals

Laura Constantino v. Dallas County Hospital District d/b/a Parkland Health & Hospital System a/k/a Parkland Memorial Hospital, 05-15-01273-CV (Tex.App— Dallas, October 24,2016) This is the second appellate decision regarding this negligent case where the Court of Appeals held this was a premise
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Litigation, Official/Qualified Immunity, Procedure, Sovereign Immunity, TTCA

Plaintiff’s expert created fact issue as to officer’s recklessness preventing the granting of City’s plea to the jurisdiction

Bay City, Texas v. Wade McFarland, 13-15-00122-CV (Tex. App— Corpus Christi, October 13,2016) This is a Texas Tort Claims Act case involving an automobile accident where the Corpus Christi Court of Appeals affirmed the denial of the City’s plea to the jurisdiction.
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