State v. McGeorge

925 S.W.2d 105, 1996 WL 224007
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJuly 3, 1996
Docket14-94-01064-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 925 S.W.2d 105 (State v. McGeorge) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. McGeorge, 925 S.W.2d 105, 1996 WL 224007 (Tex. Ct. App. 1996).

Opinions

MAJORITY OPINION

EDELMAN, Justice.

In this personal injury and wrongful death action, the State of Texas appeals the interlocutory denial of its motion for summary judgment on the ground that the appellees’ [107]*107action is barred by sovereign immunity. We reverse the interlocutory order of the trial court and render judgment for the State.

While on duty in the early morning of June 18, 1988, Sergeant Kenneth W. Tuck, Jr. of the Texas Department of Public Safety (“DPS”) pulled over a vehicle driven by Juan Vasquez which had been weaving back and forth across the yellow line of a highway. However, when Tuck approached the vehicle and asked Vasquez to step out, Vasquez sped away. During the high-speed pursuit which followed, Vasquez lost control, drove into a lane of oncoming traffic, and collided with a vehicle driven by Charles McGeorge, Sr. In the collision, Mr. McGeorge was killed and his passengers, Rita McGeorge and Charles McGeorge, Jr., were seriously injured.

Rita McGeorge, individually and as guardian of Charles McGeorge, Jr., and Nancy Simms, as guardian of Joy Lynn McGeorge, the minor daughter of Charles McGeorge, Sr. (collectively, the “McGeorges”), filed suit against the State of Texas under the Texas Tort Claims Act1 (the “Act”). The McGeorges alleged that the State, through Officer Tuck, was negligent in conducting the high-speed chase which resulted in the accident. The State moved for summary judgment on the affirmative defense of sovereign immunity arising from the alleged official immunity of Officer Tuck, but that motion was denied by the trial court.

Jurisdiction

An appeal may ordinarily be taken only from a final judgment. City of Houston v. Kilburn, 849 S.W.2d 810, 811 (Tex.1993). However, a “person” may appeal an interlocutory order denying a motion for summary judgment where the motion is based on “an assertion of immunity by an individual who is an officer or employee of the state.... ” Tex.Civ.PRAc. & RemCode Ann. § 51.014(5) (Vernon Supp.1996). In this context, the term “person” includes governmental entities. Kilbur, 849 S.W.2d at 811. Moreover, the phrase “assertion of immunity by an individual who is an officer or employee of the state” is satisfied where a claim of immunity by a governmental entity in its motion for summary judgment is based on an assertion of official immunity2 of an employee, even where, as here, the employee is neither a movant for summary judgment or even a party to the suit. See City of Beverly Hills v. Guevara, 904 S.W.2d 655, 656 (Tex.1995). Therefore, based on Guevara, we have jurisdiction to consider the State’s appeal, and proceed to review the denial of the summary judgment on the merits.

Summary Judgment

In a single point of error, the State contends that the trial court erred in denying its motion for summary judgment because the McGeorges’ claim is barred by sovereign immunity.

The denial of a summary judgment is reviewed by the same standard as the granting of one. Harris County v. Ochoa, 881 S.W.2d 884, 886 (Tex.App. — Houston [14th Dist.] 1994, writ denied). The movant for summary judgment has the burden to show that there are no genuine issues of material fact and that he is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Tex.R.Civ.P. 166a(e). To be entitled to summary judgment, a defendant must either (1) conclusively negate at least one essential element of each of the plaintiff’s causes of action, or (2) conclusively establish each element of an affirmative defense to each claim. Cathey v. Booth, 900 S.W.2d 339, 341 (Tex.1995). In reviewing a summary judgment, the nonmov-ant’s evidence is accepted as true, and every reasonable inference is indulged and all doubts are resolved in the nonmovant’s favor. Id.

Under the doctrine of sovereign immunity, the state is not liable for the torts of its agents or officers unless there is a constitutional or statutory waiver of immunity. Mount Pleasant Indep. Sch. Dist. v. Estate [108]*108of Lindburg, 766 S.W.2d 208, 211 (Tex.1989). The limited waiver of sovereign immunity is set forth in Section 101.021 of the Act.3 DeWitt v. Harris County, 904 S.W.2d 650, 652 (Tex.1995).

Sovereign immunity protects governmental entities from liability whereas official (or qualified) immunity protects individual governmental employees therefrom. Id. at 653. Governmental employees are protected by official immunity when they perform discretionary functions in good faith and within their authority. Id. at 652. Moreover, where a governmental employee has no liability because of official immunity, the governmental entity by. which he is employed is not liable under Section 101.021 of the Act for that employee’s negligence. Id. at 653-54.

In this case, the State contends that it is immune from liability because Officer Tuck is protected by official immunity. As to the elements of official immunity, the McGeorges concede that Officer Tuck was performing a discretionary function and acting within his authority,' but argue that the element of “good faith” was not proved as a matter of law.

“[A]n officer acts in good faith in a pursuit case if a reasonably prudent officer, under the same or similar circumstances, could have believed that the need to immediately apprehend the suspect outweighed a clear risk of harm to the public in continuing the pursuit.” City of Lancaster v. Chambers, 883 S.W.2d 650, 656 (Tex.1994) (footnote omitted). The “could have believed” aspect of the test means that, in order to be entitled to summary judgment, the officer or government must prove that a reasonably prudent officer might have believed that the pursuit should have been continued. Id. at 656-57. It does not require proof that it would have been unreasonable to stop the pursuit. Id. at 657. Nor does it require proof that all reasonably prudent officers would have continued the pursuit. Id4

A nonmovant seeking to defeat a claim of official immunity in a motion for summary judgment has an elevated standard of proof. Id. at 656. To controvert proof of good faith, the plaintiff must do more than show that a reasonably prudent officer could have decided to stop the pursuit. Id. at 657. Instead, “the plaintiff must show that no reasonable person in the defendant’s position could have thought the facts were such that they justified defendant’s acts.” Id. In this regard, the court must consider the rights of bystanders or other innocent parties if an officer acts in gross disregard of public safety. Id. at 656. Importantly, on the other hand, if officers of reasonable competence could disagree on this issue, immunity should be recognized. Id. at 657 (citing Malley v. Briggs,

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
925 S.W.2d 105, 1996 WL 224007, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-mcgeorge-texapp-1996.