Tennessee
How Anglin v. State of Delaware applies in Tennessee: state-specific rules, key cases, and bar exam notes for Torts.
Tennessee law recognizes the principle of sovereign immunity similar to the principles established in Anglin v. State of Delaware. However, it distinguishes between governmental and proprietary functions when assessing liability.
In Tennessee, a state entity may be liable for torts committed in the course of a proprietary function but is typically protected by sovereign immunity when performing governmental functions.
The court held that a school district's actions could be subject to liability if they exhibited gross negligence in their supervisory role.
The court ruled that the state could not be held liable during its performance of a governmental function, establishing a clear boundary for sovereign immunity.
This case reaffirmed that liability arises primarily in proprietary functions and not during governmental duties.
Tennessee's sovereign immunity doctrine closely aligns with the federal government's protection under the Eleventh Amendment, where both delineate liability based on the nature of functions performed. However, state laws sometimes allow for certain waivers of immunity that are not necessarily mirrored in federal law.
Questions on tort liability and sovereign immunity in Tennessee are often tested in the bar exam, making familiarity with cases like Anglin crucial.