Court Opinion

ID: 9684627
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 14:05:08.619948+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:17:58.114297
License: Public Domain

KEITH, Justice,
concurring.
I adopt the words of Chief Justice Green-hill, used in a different context, as applicable to my difficulty with the provisions of the Texas Tort Claims Act now under review. In Lowe v. Texas Tech University, 540 S.W.2d 297, 301 (Tex.1976), our Chief Justice, concurring, said:
“Speaking at least for myself, it is difficult to understand the language of the present statute and to apply it.”
Sec. 14(8) of the Act exempts police officers only when responding to emergency calls or situations and then only when such action “is in compliance with the laws and ordinances applicable to emergency action.” This provision does not aid either Adkisson or Brazoria County under our record.
Sec. 14(9) may have application to this case since the plaintiff sustained his injury because of Adkisson’s negligent act of operating the automobile and that such injuries arose out of the method of providing police protection which had been adopted by Bra-zoria County.
However, under the liberal construction provision (Sec. 13) of the Act, I am persuaded that such a construction should not be adopted. In this instance, Brazoria County has suffered a judgment amounting to $65,000 — the next time, a small or poorer county may be subjected to a judgment up to $300,000. I quote again from the Chief Justice’s comments in Lowe, supra: “[I]t would be very helpful if it [the Legislature] would give litigants and the courts guidelines which are easier to follow.” (540 S.W.2d at 303)