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Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility

Federal Tort Claims Act

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Ethical Intersections & The Federal Tort Claims Act: An Approach For Government Attorneys, Paul F. Figley Jan 2011

Ethical Intersections & The Federal Tort Claims Act: An Approach For Government Attorneys, Paul F. Figley

Articles in Law Reviews & Other Academic Journals

This article suggests an ethical approach for government attorneys to follow when making decisions in the special context of the Federal Tort Claims Act. It reviews the history and purpose of the FTCA, the Judgment Fund, and the Westfall Act. It examines the swirl of competing interests that arise from the structure of the FTCA, the many defenses it provides, the deep pocket it grants successful claimants, the complete immunity it grants some tortfeasors, and the methods Congress chose for paying its settlements and judgments. It touches on the ethical obligations of government attorneys. It suggests that government attorneys responsible …


Principles Of Governmental Immunity In Texas: The Texas Government Waives Sovereign Immunity When It Contracts - Or Does It Comment., Renna Rhodes Jan 1996

Principles Of Governmental Immunity In Texas: The Texas Government Waives Sovereign Immunity When It Contracts - Or Does It Comment., Renna Rhodes

St. Mary's Law Journal

When the government causes injury through negligence or by breaching a contract, the injured party must face the obstacle of governmental immunity. The doctrine of governmental immunity can act as a total bar to recovery, especially in Texas. Over the years, governmental immunity increasingly has faced attack from courts and commentators. Some states, including Texas, have revised the common-law doctrine, allowing the government to be sued in certain situations. In Texas, principles of governmental immunity are often misconstrued. Which principles of governmental immunity apply to a particular situation in Texas depends on whether the defendant is a state entity or …