Opinion ID: 77050
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Liability and Risk of Judgment

Text: 21 A final factor also weighs in favor of concluding that a community college is an arm of the state. Because community colleges are separate legal entities that may enter into contracts and sue and be sued, id. § 1001.63, a judgment could validly be entered against the community college. In that event, the state would be regarded as the judgment debtor for the college. 22 Although Florida has enacted laws to ensure that community colleges are able to satisfy their liabilities, those laws also reflect that the state is ultimately responsible for those liabilities. A community college may be self-insured, it may enter into risk-management programs, or it may purchase insurance to cover losses and expenses incurred in defense of civil actions against officers, employees or agents of the board of trustees. Id. § 1012.85. Regardless of the choice of a board of trustees regarding self-insurance, insurance, or risk management, the funds are derived from the state. The funds for self-insurance and insurance premiums are derived from state appropriated funds, and judgments against a state risk management trust fund are regarded as judgments assumed by the state. See Tuveson v. Fla. Governor's Council on Indian Affairs, Inc., 734 F.2d 730, 734 (11th Cir.1984).