§ 29-20-307. Exclusive Jurisdiction — No Jury
The circuit courts shall have exclusive original jurisdiction over any action brought under this chapter and shall hear and decide such suits without the intervention of a jury, except as otherwise provided in § 29-20-313(b); provided, that in counties having a population of more than eight hundred fifty thousand (850,000), according to the 2000 federal […]
§ 29-20-308. Venue of Actions
Suits filed under this chapter may be brought in the county in which such governmental entity is located or in the county in which the incident occurred from which the cause of action arises. A governmental entity operating in more than one (1) county shall be deemed to be located in the county where its […]
§ 29-20-309. Settlement of Actions
An officer or body appointed by the governing body of any governmental entity may, subject to such regulations and procedures as may be prescribed by the governing body, compromise and settle any action for damages or relief sought hereunder. If no such appointment has been made, the chief administrative officer of such governmental entity shall […]
§ 29-20-310. Determinations to Be Made by Court — Restrictions on Claims Against Employees — Health Care Liability — Immunity Indemnification and Insurability of Local Government Employees
The court, before holding a governmental entity liable for damages, must first determine that the employee’s or employees’ act or acts were negligent and the proximate cause of plaintiff’s injury, that the employee or employees acted within the scope of their employment and that none of the exceptions listed in § 29-20-205 are applicable to […]
§ 29-20-311. Judgment Over Limits of Insurance Policy Prohibited
No judgment or award rendered against a governmental entity may exceed the minimum amounts of insurance coverage for death, bodily injury and property damage liability specified in § 29-20-403, unless such governmental entity has secured insurance coverage in excess of such minimum requirements, in which event the judgment or award may not exceed the applicable […]
§ 29-20-312. Payment of Claims
Any claim approved for payment by a governmental entity or any final judgment obtained against a governmental entity shall be paid from funds appropriated or reserved for that purpose or in the discretion of the governmental entity may be paid in not more than ten (10) equal annual instalments commencing the next fiscal year or […]
§ 29-20-313. Claim of Immunity by Employee — Multiple Defendants
When one (1) or more defendants to a lawsuit claim to be employees of a governmental entity as defined by § 29-20-107 and are therefore entitled to the governmental immunity granted by this chapter, it shall be a question of fact whether the defendant or defendants claiming immunity are such employees. If the trier of […]
§ 29-20-304. Approval or Denial of Claim — Period for Answering Claim, Action or Suit
A governmental entity or employee shall have sixty (60) days in which to answer or otherwise respond to any claim, action, or suit brought pursuant to this chapter. A claim shall be deemed to have been denied if at the end of the sixty-day period the governmental entity or its insurance carrier has failed to […]
§ 29-20-305. Action in Circuit Court Generally — General Sessions Court in Certain Counties
If the claim is denied, a claimant may institute an action in the circuit court against the governmental entity in those circumstances where immunity from suit has been removed as provided for in this chapter; provided, that in counties having a population of more than eight hundred fifty thousand (850,000), according to the 2000 federal […]
§ 29-20-306. Bond for Costs or Pauper’s Oath
At the time of filing the action the plaintiff shall file a bond for costs or pauper’s oath required by chapter 18 of this title.